


Dream a New Horizon

by Toastie_Pan



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cor is too old for this shit, Drunkeness, Gabe the dog is the Best Boi!, M/M, Swearing like a Sailor, The Hunters are all sods, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unlikely meetings, War Never Changes, attempted hanging
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:26:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 26,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27471952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toastie_Pan/pseuds/Toastie_Pan
Summary: Dave and his faithful canine companion have survived a lot of trouble over the years. Battled deamons in all their forms while trying to keep an untrained, undisciplined rag-tag group of people from dying, but now something looms on the horizon that goes way past his closely shaved head.The War has been won and by the wrong side.Lucis has fallen and from the shadows they must mobilise to defend what's left.Dave just didn't expect a living legend to come into his Outpost and his life like a blood caked stormcloud. What the hell is he supposed to do now?Please Check Out the amazingXhidaka!who did the wonderful artwork for this!!! (See Chapter 10 for the work or go direct!)
Relationships: Cor Leonis/Dave Auburnbrie
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14
Collections: FFXV Rarepair Big Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Good afternoon everyone! ^.^!! Toastie here with a rather fun Big Bang I was glad to be part of! I give you the oddest couple of Dave and Cor :) Two unlikely wild guys taking on the Empire together! Let's goooo!!!

The sun was setting over Leide. The Anaks were whickering softly to each other by the scarce trees and were just beginning to settle down together, ready to rest after a long hot dusty day. Around the Outpost the Hunters were doing the same.  


The Prairie Outpost stood in a strange location. It sat at the far end of a wide desert and the front of an abandoned (haunted) mine (battlefield). It held an advantage for cross-communication between the various factions between Longwythe, Cauthess and Hammerhead but being so close to two old Empire haunts had everyone around on edge. Even more so now, as revealed by the hastily congregating stragglers, pulling together to light fires and set up the broad lighting rigs that kept the deamons at bay. There was a bit of laughter and some shouts of banter, but it all held an edge, a fear.  


Last night, the Crown City fell and everyone was still reeling from the shockwaves.  


Dave Auburnbrie, heir to the leadership of the Hunters despite his own feelings on the matter, tugged on the back of a busted light to get to the wiring underneath even as he kept one eye out for stragglers and varmints. Mapping the mess of crude electronics before him, Dave started pulling away the loose connections, stripping the tubing and grabbing his soldering iron to recoat the exposed copper onto its connector plate.  


The light is meant to shine towards a haven which was supposed to be protected by the Oracle’s magic, but the news, scarce as it was and questionable in its merit, had started stating that the Oracle was among the Dead and with Dave currently unable to contact his estranged Auntie who could strengthen its magic; he wasn’t taking any chances.  


They had lost enough already.  


Connections maintained and the back-box reattached, Dave grasped the lever and pulled, the light turning on strongly and suddenly as power surged through it, just as the sun sank behind the Three Valleys.  


He pulled off his gloves with a grateful sigh, turning off the small generator at his feet, disconnecting the soldering iron as he pulled off his goggles, glad of the breath of fresh air. At least some of his folks may rest without fear tonight, though ‘rest’ may be too bold a statement he thought, hearing the escalation of voices and a snapping of Jetty’s famous ‘special brew’, the hiss of the carbonation loud and familiar even across the distance to the lookout tower.  


Dave sighed, weary as the chill of twilight settled over the landscape before him. He wouldn’t have minded joining them and another year he might have done, but now the Hunters get strangely uncomfortable around him. Instead of passing him a beer and sitting down with him, they instead began telling him about the latest reports or varmint movements and of those they had lost and dog tags that had been found…  


At some point he’d been separated from them, and he couldn’t say he liked it one bit.  


He knew he should be glad they had started seeing him as a Leader, especially the new blood, but it held heavy in his heart that the responsibility meant the loss of his camaraderie.  


Noting his thoughts going in a spiral across well worried ground, Dave turned to make his way back down the tower but was halted when he heard the Anaks’ startled wickers from on top of the ridge. Squinting against the encroaching dark, he could only make out their large shadows moving around where they had previously been settling for the night. Dave looked up to the darkening sky, it was too early for deamons, but a straggler in the dark could get into all sorts of trouble and he didn’t want another body on his conscience.  


There had been enough death tonight.  


Having reached the bottom of the ladder, Dave looked towards his fellow Hunters to see them still laughing amongst each other around the fire, none of them had noticed the disturbance and Dave sighed walking away from them. The stragglers of the population that made up the Hunters were not trained in the true sense, they found what worked while on the job and mostly prayed that they’ll live another day, but Dave once again wondered whether or not something should be done about that. Someone who actually knew what they were doing would be nice.  


Dave had experience in the field, decades of it and his Mother, Astrals bless her stubborn soul, had taught him a few things he knew the others didn’t know. But he was no teacher and feared leading them to their deaths with incorrect information.  


He was too busy organising hunts to do it anyway.  


As Dave walked up the dirt road that turned to the Northeast towards the old Garrison, he hoped it wasn’t the Empire. The last thing they needed after such a long day was a bunch of soldiers stomping through the Outpost reminding everyone of who owned the place the only way they knew how.  


A shiver went through his spine at memories of red eyes glowing in the darkness…  


The sound of quick footsteps crunching on dirt reached Dave’s ears, snapping him away from his thoughts. His eyes widened as the figure came into view under the bright spotlights.  


Dave stopped. The man was tall, and broad with a katana held in his fist and he walked as though ready to burn the world to the ground. For a moment Dave worried for the group at his back. If this man was here for _them,_ he questioned his ability to stop –  


No. Dave _knew_ he wouldn’t win. If this man was with the Empire, the lives of his people were at risk.  


The man walked towards him, clearly on a mission with an anger Dave had never encountered before. He had seen friends stride to their death against beasts and the Empire with vengeance in their hearts and a determination in their eyes, but this was different. This was horror. This was fury.  


Those piercing ice-chip blue eyes weren’t even looking at him. He didn’t even warrant a moment of the man’s attention.  


Dave’s welcome died in his throat as the man passed him, moving further into the Outpost with nary a word or a glance.  


Dave exhaled sharply, his heart pounding. In all his years…he had never…  


That had been terrifying.  


‘Oi! Newbies have to bring their own drinks mate!’  


The shout from one of the group by the fire snapped Dave out of his reverie. Fucking _idiots._  


Dave turned to see the man stopped by the broken building where they had congregated, his fist clenching around his katana; it felt like the world had stopped, the crackling of the fire unnaturally loud in the falling stillness of the night. Muttering a curse his Mother would slap him for Dave headed over but before he could say anything, another of the group spoke up.  


‘Hey, you deaf or sommat old man?’  


Shiva’s _tits_ these fools were gonna get themselves killed provoking the wrong damn person!  


‘Who is the Captain here?’  


The voice echoed across the outpost with ease, punching through Dave’s chest like gunfire. He’d heard a voice like that once before and he felt his spine straighten at the tone.  


_Military._  


A giggle swept through the group and Dave felt his stomach drop, even as he tried to keep his face stoic as one of the lads waved in his direction.  


‘Dave’s as close as that.’ He nodded, tipping his drink back in one before tossing the bottle behind him where it smashed against the stone. Dave scowled in the lad’s direction but his reprimand was halted when his sight was suddenly filled with the man’s dirt and…blood…streaked face and eyes that bore into his damn soul.  


_Shit…_  


‘Get your men in order,’ the man whispered, the threat in his words clear in the set of his jaw, ‘before _I_ do.’  


Dave wanted to retort, to react to the threat with a comment of his own. This man hadn’t even introduced himself and he was suddenly in his face, daring to act this way, throwing his weight around and threatening his people?  


Before Dave could open his mouth however, the man had turned away, striding through the Outpost and heading back towards Keycatrich leaving a storm in his wake.  


‘Nout but ghosts that way, old man.’ One of the older women called after him.  


‘It’s the ghosts I’m here for.’ He called back, ‘And I answer to Marshall.’  


‘Clara!’ Dave barked when he saw her move to say something back, ‘Gary, Brett, check the lights. We need them bright.’  


There was grumbling from the group as they moved to do as told, the few who hadn’t gotten involved moving about to start dinner as Dave moved to see the man’s back disappear past the edge of the lights, getting swallowed by the darkness.  


Dave clenched his fists ineffectively before whistling sharply. His lopey loyal companion, Gabe ran up to him, whimpering softly in awareness of his Master’s distress. Nodding at the dirt streaked mutt, Dave went to walk around the perimeter. A good stomp around the Outpost to bust away the left over adrenaline coursing through his veins and to figure out what the flying fuck just happened.  


Marshall, he’d said…  


He raked through his memories to try and make sense of everything. Military didn’t exist in Lucis. There was only the Empire and their horrid mechanical soldiers and their faceless infantry. The only existing military outside of the Empire were drawn out of Lucis when the Wall was pulled back after the horrors of the battle of Keycatrich over 30 years ago. There was only the Hunters to help the general folk of Lucis from uppity varmints and wild beasts.  


It was rare anyone was stupid enough to take on the demon night missions. But he hammered the posters into the boards anyway, just the same.  


Dave shook his head, sending his dog tags chiming against his chest. He was uncomfortable. Too warm and covered in dirt from the winds of Leide; still shaking off the worst of the adrenaline that made his bones feel itchy, he looked to the road at the bottom of the path. Mind still worrying over what had happened, even as he took in a deep breath of evening air, tinged with the smell of warm sand.  


The man they met tonight was no Hunter. He was a soldier. If he was not a part of the Empire than that would make him Lucian. His features definitely seemed Lucian.  


Meaning if the horrifying figure whom he encountered this night was not of the Empire, then…  


Insomnia.  


The Walled City that had fallen last night.  


_‘And I answer to Marshall!’_  


Dave stopped at the boundary line of the Outpost, the distant groan of deamons echoing across the plains as they emerged. Gabe growling quietly at his side as Dave felt struck with a thunderstrike as the gears rolling in his head came to an abrupt stop.  


It wasn’t possible. Things like this don’t happen to folk like him. He’s just a backwater Hunter about twenty years past his prime. He doesn’t encounter the major players in this War. Or what’s left of it…  


To think this night he stood face to face with one of the old legends himself.  


Marshall Cor Leonis of Insomnia’s Crownsguard. The King’s own.  


_The Immortal._  


‘Titan’s ass’ he cursed, running a hand across his face, eyes unseeing even as they scanned the horizon before him.  


Insomnia was a closed city only known through the scant trade that goes through it. News was slow if non-existent however Dave still knew enough from 30 years’ worth of scattered information and old tales.  


He knew of the Immortal and what he was capable of; his legend was once spoken of during campfires before a battle when the moon was gone from the nightsky. The New Bloods always sat wide-eyed as the older few would regale the tale of the Boy and the Blademaster. Decades ago, he had been one of them wide-eyed boys at his Mother’s knee, heart pounding in his chest that someone as young as himself could have done something so monumental.  


Seems the years weren’t kind to either of them.  


Suddenly feeling his age, Dave sighed as he turned back towards the Outpost, Gabe looking between him and the darkness before huffing and following. Looking up he saw the few Hunters, laughing and joking, drinking away the night as though nothing had happened.  


_‘Get your Men in order’_  


He inhaled hard.  


_‘Before_ I _do._ ’  


The Marshall’s words rippled through him. The threat thrumming through him. A small part of his mind mused how much good a man of such command would do for the Hunters, but he ignored it. His eyes tracked the outpost, glad to see the tower light shining bright before seeing the Quad 6 light flickering against the Haven. None of the group had noticed.  


Sighing, Dave walked past the group, the urge to say something strong in his gut but he swallowed it down. It had been a long day for them all; he can fix it.  


…  


He can fix it.  



	2. A Marshall's thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cor's on a misson

Cor made his way past the Outpost, glad for the feeling of the evening’s cool air and solitude as it washed over his skin. His arm twitched, his skin thrumming with something he had spent oh so long trying to control and taper down. Decades of discipline daring to be torn to shreds; tattered and flying in the wind, burning away just like Insomnia behind him.  


He was drowning completely in his anger. Red hot and burning it tinged his sight with pulses as his heart punched with a heavy pain that pushed his steps forwards. His coat was still singed, his face itched with dried blood and his fist ached from how hard he clenched his sword, not having dared to test the King’s magic, not daring to test whether his magic would pass to the Son. He hadn’t tried to access the Armiger since the Wall fell and he felt his heart would shatter should he not able to connect to that blue thread that had connected him to the King.  


To his friends…  


Cor felt his teeth grind as his jaw clenched. As certain as he still had breath in his lungs he knew.  


Regis was dead. Clarus was dead.  


And Cor had work to do.  


Cor stopped at the silent Pass, the wind whipping up the dirt like ghosts in the dark. Ahead loomed the remains of Keycatrich, quiet and foreboding. Cor stood, eyes scanning the land but it wasn’t the darkness he saw. It was daylight, it was blood, it was…Cor was quick to turn towards the path to his left lest he unearth regrets and hurts he wasn’t capable of handling right now. It felt like there wasn’t enough space in his chest for anything else to fit. The pain pulsed through him even as he crossed the boundary of the King’s tomb.  


When King Mors had passed, his magic’s connection had passed to Regis immediately, the young Prince taking the weight of his Father’s army with nary a twitch of his eyebrow. But then again, he had always been like that; gifted with magic that none could fathom, it was only when the Wall was passed that Cor had noticed a difference.  


The difference being a week in bed after collapsing during training with Clarus.  


His son however was different. Magic ran through him like a broken river, halting and dangerous to the point that the King had restricted his access to the Crystal so he wouldn’t hurt himself and those around him. The King it seemed had made a grave mistake in raising his boy less of royalty and more as an ordinary child. He never taught Noctis how to be _King_ and if the magic hadn’t passed on fully than they had a problem.  


Noctis still had to prove himself to the Crystal that he was the true scion of the Lucius Caelum bloodline.  


A heavy crunching, scraping sound pulled Cor from his thoughts and he turned behind him as purple swamp like miasma roiled up from the ground.  


‘Bout time.’ He muttered as the Iron Giant lifted itself from the ground, uttering its strange unintelligible language as it emerged. Cor pulled his katana out of its sheath as his face shut down, emotion buried as a tight pressured ball in his gut. It brought his mind to focus and as the large sword wielded by the creature that was twice the size of him was brought down, he dodged deftly to the side, summoning what strength he had to hammer his blade into the creature’s leg, only for it to twang almost ineffectively against the creature’s armour. Blinking momentarily, Cor dodged the swipe of a giant fist as it curled down towards him, dropping into the dirt before pushing himself away.  


_Astrals he was right…_   


The King’s magic hadn’t crossed over. He was no longer connected to the King or the Crystal. He couldn’t stay here, his strength was lessened; his sword’s effectiveness was dulled. He was certain with his skills and experience he could take down something like this but he couldn’t risk it. Should another turn up, or he slip up and fall there would be no one to pass on the Right of Kings to the Prince.  


And all would be lost.  


His chest burned with the sheer _want_ that rushed through him in slicing this damn creature to pieces but instead he turned and ran, heading towards the tomb. Just as he pulled out the key entrusted to him by the King, he felt a violent tug at his back as the tomb lit up with a violent red light.  


_Gravity, dammit!_   


Tilting his sword, Cor slammed it down into the tiles, splintering them as he dug the blade into the ground, digging in his heels as he fought against the pull. It tugged at his body, already exhausted from the previous night and the days’ trails and with each moment he felt his strength ebb away, like water draining from a cup; a cup that was battered, bent and made from old _old_ materials.  


_It shouldn’t last this long…_ Cor thought as he tightened his grip on the hilt, eyes widening as he saw the dirt beneath the blade began to shift.  


_Astrals…_   


Cor held his breath, gritting his teeth as one last sliver of hope snapped as the blade pulled free and he was pulled towards the Giant.  


Just as the spell went out.  


He slammed into the ground as he dropped, hard. A pain shot up his elbow, shaking his arm. He rolled away from the crunching approaching steps of the Giant before pulling up and stepping into stance, sheathing his sword before dropping low. The Deamon swung its blade in a horizontal arc, Cor parrying it above his head, two handed pushing his sheathed blade up and _down._ It swung again, a minor downswing as Cor crouched low, parrying in the same way. A third swing and Cor caught the blade, slamming it into the ground next to him, it sinking deep into the earth. The Giant tugged trying to free it. Cor quickly thudded up the blade, before gripping the hilt of his own blade still in the sheath _hard._ Summoning what strength he could muster, following actions from magic charged attacks he no longer had access to Cor ripped the sword out of its sheath and into the creature’s head.  


A shockwave erupted from the blade as the edge made contact, breaking the armour across its skull. He slid over its shoulder as it groaned, sliding down its back, turning and slicing into the creature’s legs again and again and againagainagainagain _againagainagain..._  


Cor was hit hard into his back, throwing him across the grass into the crumbling pillar, dust following his decent as he hit the dirt. He coughed, limbs scrambling before his rattled mind could catch up. He staggered around the downed Giant back towards the tomb before another orb went burning past his face.  


_Goblins…_   


He’d taken too long.  


Still staggering, he realised he had lost grip of his sheath. A moment of panic flooded him as he regained his faculties, eyes scanning around the bubbling remains of the Giant to see the Goblins approaching. They were numerous and a fight he surely shouldn’t partake in in his weakened state. But his body froze, even as more burning orbs and debris flew past him as his eyes spotted one bouncing his sheath up and down in a victory cheer.  


_Clang_ it went against the rocks.  


_With this sword…_   


_Clang_   


_I bequeath to you…_   


_Clang_   


_The title of Crownsguard…._   


_CLANG CLANG_   


_Rise young Leonis…_   


_CLANGCLANGCLANG_   


_…Wall Tall…_   


Cor saw red.  


Sword braced to his side he stepped forward, one, two threefourfivesix.  


His yell screamed across the dead battlefield as the Goblins fell beneath his blade.  


  


….  


  


The Sun peaked over the horizon and sent jagged shadows across the dirt, churned up from the battle. Cor stood as the Sun touched his skin, its touch reminding him of the chill that permeated through his bones as he gasped heavily in the damp dawn air. His chest ached as his hand shook around the hilt of his sword and the other grasped at the scabbard, the leather creaking in his grip.  


His breaths stuttered in his chest, hiccupping against the despair that washed over him as the night steadily got pushed back by their Star. It had been years since Cor Leonis of the King’s Crownsguard had allowed himself to cry.  


Now was not the time.  


Wiping at his face, Cor turned away from their Star towards the tomb, stepping inside and closing the door against the dawn and the sharp cries of the waking wildlife.  



	3. War begins

As the Sun rose, Dave made his way across the Outpost. The Hunters were gathered at the main building and Dave frowned as he saw them. Something had happened…  


Dave was not a man who could linger in one spot for long, ever moving around had left him with a nervous disposition and with recent events pouring through his mind, Dave was finding his feet itching.  


With trepidation he headed towards the group as the news echoed out from the battered radio behind the communications hub. It was confirmed.  


Not only was the King of Lucis dead, but so was the Oracle the Lady Lunafreya. Looking up in alarm, Dave was momentarily relieved to still see the runes glowing at the Havens, he may need to send a message to his estranged Aunt for information on strengthening them.  


‘We have also received news,’ the reporter droned on, ‘that His Royal Highness, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum has also been found amongst the dead.’  


Gasps littered their way through the group, one woman walking away with her hand clasped over her face at the declaration. Others shaking their heads and even more opening hip flasks with muttered curses to the Niffs and their never quenched destruction.  


Dave reached the group proper; them parting without comment as he walked to the warbling radio.  


The Royal Family of both Lucis and Tenebrae dead? Not kept as hostage, nor for political gain…no the Empire had just slaughtered them without care.  


That was it then.  


The War was over.  


Lucis had lost.  


Even as despair threatened to shake him, Dave stepped forward reaching into his jacket. The inner pocket held a favour given to him from his Mother, given to her by the Oracle herself. Even from across the sea the Princess passed on her blessings and now it was all he could do in repayment of her memory.  


The flower never faded, it had never decayed and despite the hope that the still perfect bloom should give him, his heart just clenched in pain of lives taken far too soon.  


He placed the sylleblossom on the table by the radio, hearing the rustling of the veterans around him as they moved to follow his example and the gasps of the New Blood at the sight.  


They would never have seen such a bloom and now it will forever be a memory of a vigil.  


‘Rest well Princess. Rest well Our King. Rest well Our Pri-…’  


Dave paused even as others placed their blessings on the table.  


_Prince?_   


Dave pulled away from the mourning group, stumbling his way back down the dirt path, his gut churning. No this wasn’t sorrow, this was…something was wrong.  


They were wrong.  


But fuck how did he know?  


Mind spinning he didn’t notice where he was walking. His foot caught a stray rock and he felt his ankle twitch.  


_Storm grey eyes and hair black like night…_   


Gasping, Dave caught himself even as his mind remembered.  


The young boy who had saved him. The three companions emblazoned in wings and skulls, strong but clearly green to Hunting, questioning the world around them as though-  


As though they had never seen Leide.  


The Crowned Prince of Lucis was not in the city when it fell, he would have been in Galdin, he had seen their car head South.  


_Astrals it was lies! The Crowned Prince was alive!_   


Shaking himself, Dave smoothed his features, choosing not to say a word. It wouldn’t do for the Niffs to hear that a member of the Royal Family of the country they just soundly conquered was running around fully alive and capable. Instead he grabbed his backpack, whistling sharply as he did.  


Striding to the road towards the Noduscean Blockade, Gabe ran up, brushing against his legs before running ahead, always sniffing for danger. If the Prince were alive than the Niffs would be on the move, which means he had work to do. With the Niffs moving across Lucis without defiance the Prince would need every ally he could get.  


Dave already owed him his life, and he always paid back his debts.  


No sooner had he finished the thought, that Gabe started growling.  


‘What’s up, boy?’ Dave whispered, slowing down. Suddenly his ears caught that which his faithful companion had caught so soon. The whirr of a Niff dropship.  


‘ _Shit!’_  


Lights came over the ridges of the Three Valleys as Dave saw it head straight to them, only to suddenly turn over to the Nordescean Blockade.  


The road to Duscae. The bastards were wasting no time in claiming it.  


Dave knew how long it took to close those doors, he had had to do it himself to protect what was left of the survivors of Keycatrich all those years ago and he knew he was suddenly running out of time.  


The Prince was alive. The Immortal was in Keycatrich and the Empire were closing the gates to Duscae. If the Empire were announcing the Prince was dead without a body as proof then it meant they knew he was alive and they planned to tie up loose ends as quietly as possible.  


They were tightening the noose.  


Not on his damn watch.  


Jogging towards the blockade, Dave slowly picked up speed, his mind screaming asking what the hell he was doing before he was whistling a staccato and running full tilt towards the right edge of the inner fort.  


Gabe ran straight through, barking loudly, drawing the attention of the scant soldiers that had already disembarked and were busy forming a perimeter as Dave crouched between discarded crates and tarpaulin covered containers towards the still open entrance to Duscae.  


Slow to alertness the soldiers moved towards Gabe, but the dog was quick and had already made it behind the wall when the guns went off, their bullets ricocheting against the old concrete.  


Dave wasn’t as lucky.  


A single sentinel that had already reached his post above a discarded tower caught movement in the corner of his eye of Dave running towards the gate and aimed true, a sudden stumble on a rock saving Dave’s heart as the bullet sliced across his arm, fire slicing through the muscle.  


Dave’s face hit dirt, muffling his cry as pain ripped through his body, he heard Gabe bark and bullets fly, pounding into the dirt around him before he gritted his teeth and pulled himself up. Adrenaline pounded through his chest, his age pulling his limbs down even as he screamed at himself to run. He stumbled, he faltered but the Titan himself must have been protecting him from the bullets that flew in the air towards him because they only managed to kick up dirt around him, ripping his jacket and trouser leg as he raced to the gate. He burst out of the barricade before the door could close fully, the sound of the gate closing shuddering through the air as Dave stumbled into the overgrown wilderness, rounding a large rock before collapsing with his back against it. He glanced through the bushes to see another ship land in the fort, this one decorated. Whoever had just landed, was apparently important.  


_Damn…_   


Breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his body, Dave wondered what damn madness had possessed him to do what he’d just done. His chest ached, his arm burned and his ankle throbbed in pain even as he ineffectually wiped dirt and sweat from his face with the back of his hand, his arm pouring blood to the ground.  


Whimpering, Gabe trotted up to his side, sniffing at Dave’s shoulder trying to lick at the wound even as Dave pushed his head away.  


The Prince had an ally in Duscae. He had to send a message out as soon as possible to Meldacio so the Hunters could be mobilised. They weren’t the best and they weren’t well trained, but they were eyes and they could help get the Prince away from the Empire’s clutches.  


Starting with the blockade. There was a route round it, a flanking position they could take advantage of.  


The nearest phone was at the Coernix Station at Alstor, he could use that to relay a message to the Prairie Outpost for the Marshall. If the Prince was still in Leide than the Marshall could hide him, but if he was somehow in Duscae, well now Dave could be the one to keep him safe.  


As for right now however, Dave simply breathed through the pain in his arm even as his heart slowly stopped pounding heavily in his chest, scruffing Gabe behind his ears trying not to laugh at his own idiocy.  


‘Good boy,’ he muttered instead, the old dog whimpering once more even as his tail wagged. ‘Good boy.’  



	4. New aquaintances

Dave managed to stumble his way down the road towards Duscae, Gabe running ahead and barking up a storm. A few folks at the Coernix station looked around for the sound but then returned to their families when they saw it was just a random dog. One however, snapped his head up at the bark and when he spotted Gabe, dropped his tools and sprinted over.  


‘Hey, hey boy, where’s your Master?’ he asked, looking around, eyes darting down the deceptively quiet roads, before pulling his tags from under his shirt, shaking them in front of the excitable mutt. ‘Take me to him.’  


Gabe’s ears perked up at the jingle of metal, barked once and headed back out to the wilderness.  


Caleb ran his hand through his shaggy brown hair feeling beyond his 20 years before leaving his truck in the parking lot and following the dog through the brush.  


Dave stumbled on his ankle again, still weak from previous injuries, landing against a mossy rock, the impact making him grunt as it shook through his shoulder. It wasn’t a through and through shot, but it still hurt like Ifrit’s Hells. Just as Dave was considering whether to rest or soldier on to Coernix, his ears caught the sound of quick movement heading towards him.  


‘Please, Shiva’s mercy don’t be a Voretooth.’ He muttered, pulling out his machete blade from the close holster on his hip. After tangling with a horribly strong pack of their Leiden’ brothers, he knew he was in no fit shape to wrestle with the quick creatures, especially not in the brush.  


The sound got closer before stopping just at the brushes’ edge, Dave held his breath, eyes trained on the edge, ears open to-  


‘Shit!’  


Turning, he sliced downwards on the open jaw that had approached from his six. Snarling, it jumped back out of range before pulling up and howling long and loud.  


Voretooth.  


Sounds erupted around him, movement through the vegetation, quick and organised. Keeping the rock to his back, Dave widened his stance, following more with his ears than his eyes, waiting for when they would break the glade as the first runner stalked just out of range, baiting him forward.  


‘Not happening.’ He muttered to the beast, ‘You gotta come to me.’  


Howling once more, the runner pounced, Dave pulling to the side, striking at the creature’s neck even as claws the size of his hand crashed into the rock behind him. It whimpered as it fell and Dave finished it quickly, never having the stomach for slaughter.  


_One down…_   


A short lived victory as the rest took the killing of their runner as the signal for a free-for-all. Three burst from the bushes to Dave’s left as one sprinted to him from his right.  


‘Damn…’ he gritted his teeth, swinging the blade down on the one to his right, backing up to face the three seeking to surround him. The blade hit true and the Voretooth went down but Dave had no time to count the victory as another leapt, claws missing his throat but paws pushing him down to the ground.  


A howl went up even as Dave stabbed his blade into the Voretooth currently trying to bite his neck in two. It went down as the last two descended on him. He cried out as teeth crushed into his foot, staying out of range of Dave’s blade.  


Lightening cracks of pain raced through his leg and he shouted, kicking ineffectually against the monster’s snout, swinging his blade to keep the other at bay. The Voretooth jumped and leapt and Dave felt silence cover his mind as those teeth fell towards him.  


A gunshot rang out through the glade, cutting through the beast’s maw, shattering bone as it dropped heavily on top of him. The other met a similar fate as a bullet hammered through its flank. It let go of Dave’s leg to snarl at the new intruder, only another bullet to slice through its jaw, exploding out the back of its head.  


The last Voretooth landed dead on the grass, silence falling over the battlefield.  


‘Titan’s grace, Dave! You trying to get yourself killed?!’  


Dave grunted as he lifted himself to sitting, wincing as his shoulder and ankle made sharp protests to the movement. He jumped as a wet snout hit his arm, exhaling heavily as Gabe sniffed at his injuries.  


A young boy dressed in a white tee and dark green combats came into his sight, holstering a silver gun.  


‘Thank you for the assistance.’ Dave answered, too used to random faces knowing his name at this point to react to the familiarity.  


‘Pfft,’ the boy snorted, moving to Dave’s ankle, pulling gauze out of a pocket to his side. ‘You seriously gotta thank your dog, damn thing could have woken Titan looking for help.’ He inspected the already wrapped ankle, with a scrunch of his nose, ‘jeez ye gotta work on ye first aid man.’  


‘Heh,’ Dave chuckled without humour, hand routinely stopping Gabe from licking his face, ‘I’ll be able to get better now I’m not dead, um…’  


The kid caught Dave’s hesitation and stopped where he was splinting up Dave’s ankle to push his hand forward.  


‘Name’s Caleb. New Blood these past three years.’  


Dave shook the lad’s hand gratefully, thinking of what luck he must have for Gabe to have found one of their own at the station. He winced as Caleb pulled the splint tight.  


‘Sorry, it’ll have to do for now. We’d best head back before the blood attracts anything else, come on it’s not too far out, half-mile at most.’  


Dave grabbed the proffered hand and lifted himself up with a grunt before Caleb swung himself under Dave’s arm to help take the weight off of his ankle.  


‘Thanks kid.’  


‘Don’t mention it.’  


They get to Coernix with little fanfare, Gabe happily trotting forward, turning with his ears pricked but trotting forward again as the two Hunters steadily make their way towards the station. Once there, Caleb pulls the back down of his small truck, letting Dave sit and take the weight off of his foot before jogging to the store.  


He returned with two energy drinks, passing one to Dave before dropping a box into the cab.  


‘So, where were you headin’ before you decided to become mutt chow?’ he asked, sitting next to Dave on the back, snapping the cap of his bottle and taking a drink.  


‘Heh, wasn’t intentional.’  


‘Be worried if it was.’  


‘Just made it out of Leide, the Niffs have moved into the blockade.’ Dave took a swig of his drink as Caleb scratched at the bottle’s label. ‘I gotta get word out to the others.’  


‘Need help getting to the shop?’  


‘Aye.’  


Nodding Caleb helped Dave limp over to the shop, his ankle protesting though in that distanced way as his body acclimatised to the pain, Caleb’s splint taking the brunt of the weight.  


_Kid was good._   


The assistant was quick to allow Dave into the back to access the phone. Caleb however was told to stay in the front. Dave thought nothing of it, shop folks were real picky about the people they trusted, even more so nowadays. Caleb was New Blood by three years and only been around Duscae a week? In the shop keeping world he was nobody.  


The phone was picked up in two rings, but the voice was not one he recognised.  


‘Prairie Outpost.’  


And that wasn’t the code.  


Dave slammed the phone down. He breathed carefully for three beats before picking the phone back up, this time the voice was familiar.  


‘Call of Dust.’  


‘Call of Water,’ Dave replied quickly, ‘Clara, who the blasted hell was that?’  


‘Insomnian bird. Came in and took over the damn place till we told her what for. Dressed in full military garb like a prat can you believe it? Niffs next door and she wanders around like that? Don’t worry she lookin’ like a proper civvy now…’  


‘Clara, she still there?’ Dave interrupted, a distinct pain starting to throb at his temple.  


‘…I mean yeah, she sent some odd lookin’ group up to Keycatrich earlier on, but she stickin’ around…’  


‘Need you to bring her back onto the phone.’  


‘After I gave her an earful about pickin it up?’  


‘Yes, Clara.’  


There was a pause.  


‘Jeez, fine.’  


There was only the sound of crackling in Dave’s ear before the same voice as before came over the line.  


‘Who is this?’ is asked in a clipped accent.  


_Yeap, Insomnian._   


‘You with the Marshall?’ he asked bluntly, knowing he had little time to begin with and got right to the point.  


‘I am.’ She answered after a pause.  


‘The Norduscean Blockade has been claimed by the Niffs. There’s a back route that leads inside. Left of the doors, behind the cliff. Use it.’  


This time the pause was long. This woman had no reason to trust him as he had no reason to trust her, he only hoped she understood the message.  


‘Understood.’  


The line went dead.  


Back at the Prairie Outpost, Monica turned to the Marshall behind her.  


‘We have a route into the blockade…’  


Dave returned the phone to its cradle before returning round the front, dropping 5 gil on the counter before leaving, Caleb following ready to lend a hand if it was needed.  


‘Any chance you could give me lift?’  


Caleb snapped his head up as they returned to the truck, Dave sitting back on the truck bed with a sigh.  


‘Eh? A lift? Oh yeah, sure where u going?’ Caleb asked, words hurried. Dave watched him a moment longer before shrugging it off.  


‘Closest contact point is Wiz’, u know it?’  


‘Pfft.’ Caleb snorted making Dave chuckle. _Yeah the New Blood love them damn birds._  


‘Right, dumb question.’  


The both looked out across the plains of Duscae, Gabe at Dave’s feet laying down panting in the cool air rolling up from the slough. After so long in the dirt of Leide, it was a wonderful change. The taste of mud and water filling his lungs even as his body protested his continued abuse of it.  


_Yeah he needed to get better at his first aid._   


‘Well, I’ve just gotta finish replacing the tire and we can ship out!’ Caleb said, tossing his empty bottle into the bed behind him before heading round the truck.  


Dave nodded distractedly, looking back towards Leide. The midday Sun was high and it threatened to be a hot day. Finishing off his drink, Dave looked down at Gabe.  


‘Wonder how that Marshall’s doing, eh boy?’ he muttered, as the sounds of metal on metal sounded behind him as Caleb picked up his tools again. Gabe flicked an ear in response but otherwise stayed still, relaxing in the Sun.  


It was past 3 when Caleb and Dave headed off Coernix; South towards Wiz’s Post. The temperature of the day continued to beat down as they drove, the radio playing some old soft guitar track that was popular about 5 years back. They’d chatted briefly about Hunts in the area that had been posted but mostly they were silent as the truck made its way down the road. It was probably why Dave’s ears were able to pick up the sound of muted thuds that echoed above the trees.  


‘Caleb, pull over!’ he shouted, looking behind him. Caleb pulled over swiftly, the tires screeching as he brought the truck to a stop. Dave jumped out, Gabe following.  


‘Bad idea to stop on this road.’ Caleb called, getting out himself.  


‘You hear that boy?’ Dave muttered to Gabe, ignoring Caleb’s statement. Gabe growled low in his throat.  


‘What’s going on…?’ Caleb stopped from where he’d walked round to the back of the truck, question stuck in his throat suddenly at the ripple of sound that echoed across the rocks. Dave frowned as the sounds continued. It sounded like Ramuh himself was having a punch up with Titan across the mountains that bordered the two counties.  


It was the Norduscean Blockade.  


A battle had erupted.  


‘Caleb, we get to Wiz’s we can find out what’s happening, come on.’ Dave moved back towards the cab, Gabe hopping into the middle seat before Dave went to jump in, stopping when he saw Caleb hadn’t moved. ‘Kid?’  


Caleb didn’t move, eyes fixed on the ridge of trees towards the East, the sounds of muted explosions crackling across the sky like a thunderclap. He startled violently when Dave touched his shoulder, stumbling back, his gun in his hand and pointed to Dave’s head before he could think.  


Dave slowly raised his hands.  


‘Lad…’ Dave started, not daring to move, ‘Caleb, it’s just me…’  


Caleb’s eyes went from focused to too wide as his breath fell out of him in a rush. Shakily he placed his gun back in its holster, missing the first two times, before he just gripped the holster with one hand, jamming the gun in with the other, breathing heavy.  


Dave slowly dropped his hands as Caleb brought himself back to the present.  


‘I-…Dave I er…’ he stuttered, not meeting Dave’s gaze.  


‘It’s alright kid, Empire’s pretty damn scary.’ Dave pointedly watched the kid, noting the clench in Caleb’s jaw at the mention, ‘but let’s get to Wiz’s yeah?’  


Caleb looked up sharply.  


‘Don’t we have to go back?’  


Dave shook his head, looking at the ridge once more as the gunfire continued, before heading back to the cab where Gabe was watching through the back window. ‘At this point Wiz’s is closer, got a contact there who can tell us what’s happening.’  


Caleb looked towards the ridge himself before nodding, turning and striding back to the cab, jumping into the driver’s seat and slamming the door shut as Dave closed his.  


‘To Wiz’s then.’  



	5. Chapter 5

Cor’s feet shuttered across the sand, fist gripping his scabbard tight as he poured his crystal given might into the blade, the scabbard hiding its shine before he planted his foot forward, whipping it out with a shout. The shockwave cleaved the MT unit before him in half before slicing into the hydraulic valve on the MA-X Cuirass behind it. The leg buckled, the Prince warping into the weak spot even as the Argentum boy swung a large piece of machinery into the joint, a blast of force taking out the foot entirely.  


The Cuirass dropped, the shouts of the commander within lost amidst the screeches of slaughtered MTs and shouts of Imperial soldiers as they were dispatched by blade and lance at his Four, Gladiolus and Ignis keeping the forces back as they moved to bring the Cuirass down.  


His Highness warped to the housing unit, smashing it in with the spectral Axe he’d gained from Keycatrich, before dropping back to the ground.  


‘Prompto!’ he shouted, an affirmative to the name being called before the kid pulled his gun back, steadying it on his other wrist before pulling the trigger. The bullet pinpointed the small gap the Axe had made, ripping through the chassis.  


The MA-X shuddered, shouts from the General within a haze of static before Gladiolus pulled Noctis back behind him, Cor doing the same for Prompto before the Mech exploded behind them, heat and dirt rippling through the air.  


All were breathing heavily as they looked back on the wreckage. The MTs sizzling in the light of the sun as they melted away; the soldiers’ bodies remaining, still in the dirt.  


Cor gained his breath even as the boys celebrated their victory, the Prince frowning at the destruction, quiet as was his way, even as Cor approached him. It was a battle hard fought, but the victory was theirs. It seemed His Highness saw it for what it was however.  


Slaughter was slaughter, regardless of the declaration of War that it was. In one day the War had ended and then been restarted by those supposed Dead.  


It was a strange moment as Cor praised the Prince on his skill, the boy nowhere near the man he needed to be, and yet…  


The echo of his Father when he was young was there, an unready Prince taking up his arms against an army. It was a bitter thing to see; the King having been so sure the War would be finished one way or another by the time his son took the throne.  


Now the King was dead and his son ran as a vagrant.  


_Long live the King._   


He watched the four make their way to Duscae, loading into the Regalia before heading past the blockade even as Monica walked to his side.  


‘There is word from the Prairie Outpost, apparently their Leader has sent a message mobilising the Hunte- sir?’  


As soon as the car disappeared around the bend, Cor had turned away from the road, towards the wreckage of the Cuirass with purpose, pulling his sword out of its sheath. Monica halted at the action, her Iron claw gloves summoned around her knuckles without another word.  


Cor reached the mangled metal, ripping his sword out the scabbard, slicing through the metal before kicking it away.  


Inside a young boy coughed.  


‘The…the Empire…will reign-‘  


Brigadier General Loqi halted his diatribe as the sun heated point of Cor’s blade pressed against his throat. Loqi’s armour was crushed, blood running down his dirt coated face, hair matted with oil and hydraulic fluid.  


The wind picked up dust as the moment dragged on. Loqi’s breath shuddered where he was crushed, Monica refusing to intervene even as Cor pressed the blade into Loqi’s throat further; a nick of blood falling down Loqi’s throat from the action.  


Cor dispelled his blade even as he turned heel and walked away, Monica following without comment, eyes downcast.  


Loqi blinked, realising his life was not gone for the glory of the Empire at the hands of his rival. Anger burned through him even as he fought to pull himself vainly out of the remains of the wreck.  


‘Why don’t you kill me Leonis…’ he muttered, coughing blood out of his throat. ‘Why don’t you kill me!?’ he screamed, as Cor walked away.  


Cor walked out of the blockade, back towards Leide, the stricken voice of a Brigadier general raised to believe a death in battle for the glory of the Empire to be the greatest achievement he could garner in his life, crying out behind him.  


Blade returned in his scabbard, Cor walked away.  


They made it back to the Prairie Outpost without further incident, Monica waiting until they reached the top of the hill to appraise Cor of the situation, having left the Marshall to his thoughts after leaving the blockade.  


The subject of the Brigadier General being a sensitive one after all.  


Fate was unkind to the Marshall in regards to the self-proclaimed rival he had gained during the War. They had crossed blades (so to speak) more times than Monica could count.  


Each time the Marshall had won.  


Every single time Loqi’s life had been spared.  


It was better to not bring it up.  


The Outpost was in a flurry of movement as they approached, Monica increased her stride to match the Marshall’s.  


‘Word came through from the chocobo post, man named Dave has called them to action.’ She explained as they headed into the shade of the main building. ‘They’re to travel across Lucis, sending back information about the Imperial Army’s movements to their base in Meldacio in the Northern Cleigne region.’  


Cor halted at the statement. Frowning, he looked around as the many Hunters packed supplies and shared maps, getting into various vehicles in a frenzy of movement and noise. The name, Dave reminded him of the man he had met the other night. The drunken louts had mentioned Dave was something of a Leader for them but Cor was beyond sceptical, presuming he was the main voice for this outpost alone; seems he was wrong.  


There was something missing in the hierarchy still, but it seemed the man had some clout whoever he was.  


‘We’ll need to meet him, see if we can get more eyes helping His Highness. You mentioned a chocobo post?’  


‘A place ran by a man called Wiz, its south of here in Duscae.’ Monica answered quickly, moving to a desk where a map was pinned above. ‘Though I doubt he’d still be there were we to try and track him down.’  


Cor nodded.  


‘Then I’ll go on his trail, you however should join Dustin in keeping Iris and Talcott safe, you know of the hidden harbour?’  


Monica nodded, her delight at meeting up with Dustin poorly hidden much to Cor’s amusement.  


‘I know it, Marshall.’ She answered, eyes tracking the roads on the map before her.  


‘Head to Lestallum, ensure the safety of the Amicitia’s household and prepare Cape Caem for habitation. They will need to be away from the Empire if we are to move without worry.’  


Nodding seriously, Monica turned to Cor, fist to heart she saluted him before heading out, asking one of the Hunters for anyone heading towards Lestallum. Cor watched her jump on a truck bed before he turned back to the map.  


Wiz’s Chocobo Post sat by the Alstor slough, just east of the Disk. Should this Dave be wanting information to be passed through to Meldacio in Cleigne than it made sense he would head back North…unless…  


Cor’s eyes traced the roads before him before alighting on Longwythe to the south. If he could get a message to Dave at Wiz’s, the time it would take Dave to reach the outpost would be about the same as Cor’s.  


Nodding, Cor walked over to one of the Hunters who hadn’t left, who was busy working on a comms unit.  


‘Hunter, can you get a message to Dave?’  


The Hunter looked away from his work, appraising Cor with unveiled scepticism and wariness.  


‘What you want with Dave then?’ he asked, bluntly. Cor repressed a sigh.  


‘I need to meet up with him at Longwythe, can you reach him or not?’  


The Hunter’s eyebrows rose at the mention of Longwythe. His eyes darting to the side, clearly smoothing a grin.  


‘Erm…’ he coughed, ‘anywhere in Longwythe in particular?’  


Cor was already done with this conversation. He needed to get moving.  


‘Tell him to meet me in Longwythe.’ He declared before walking out of the shade of the building into the ferocious heat of the desert.  


‘Meet up is at the Motel! Room 3B!’ came the shout of the Hunter from the building. Cor just waved to acknowledge that he’d heard before he headed out into the desert, heat pounding against his back.  


At Wiz’s, Dave looked at the paper message that printed out of the communicator installed in the weapons truck while Caleb cooed and fussed the Chocobos across the way. The snort of the weapons dealer made Dave close his eyes.  


‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ He sighed, ‘I’d think I was too old for pranks.’  


‘Seems the Marshall must have taken a shine to you, Dave.’ The Hunter chuckled before outright laughing.  


Dave shoved the paper into his pocket.  


‘He’s Insomnian, he doesn’t bloody know.’ Dave tried to reason before rolling his eyes and leaving the truck.  


‘It’s a date, Dave! Might as well enjoy yourself I’m sure it’s fully stocked!’ the Hunter shouted from the truck before sitting down on the back cackling to himself.  


Dave shook his head before looking at the paper once more.  


The Immortal Marshall of Insomnia had asked to meet him.  


At an Astral’s Damned Hookup Point.  


_I’m too old for this…_   



	6. Chapter 6

Dave and Gabe made their way towards Longwythe; heading south around the disk. Caleb had mentioned the necessity of him sticking around the Chocobo post for a while and Dave refused to push him.  


_‘Kids and those damn birds.’_ He thought fondly, leaning across the centre console of the borrowed jeep to scratch Gabe behind his ears, gaining a very contented garble in return that made him smile. It was short lived however as the jeep went through the tunnel towards Leide.  


He knew the Marshall must have been pranked by one of the lads from the Prairie Outpost to have called him to the motel out of the blue. They had had a single conversation (if you could call it that) and Dave very much doubted the Marshall was in any way struck by his existence from it.  


His mind went back to the steel-eyed man covered in blood he had seen that night and couldn’t help the twitch of nervousness that swept through him, making his shoulder itch under the hasty gauze wrapping he’d affixed while Caleb chatted with Wiz about the birds.  


This meeting certainly wasn’t a conjugal one, but not knowing what it was really about made Dave shift in his seat.  


_Was this even wise?_  


Too late now, he thought, pulling into the parking lot of Longwythe, turning off the engine and just breathing. The sun had fallen behind the Three Valleys and twilight fell swiftly as Dave opened the creaking door, boots hitting dirt as Gabe yawned in the passenger seat.  


‘Come on boy, sleeping under a roof tonight.’  


Gabe’s ears perked up and he huffed heavily before getting up slowly and joining Dave outside. Dave smiled at the mutt as he closed the door.  


‘We’ll get in something from Kenny’s yeah?’ he asked, Gabe ‘ruff-ing’ in answer as they walked together across the road. Dave was pretty sure he was stalling at this point, but he was barely in the mood to think about it.  


The proprietor was cheerful in his greeting despite the late hour and was happy to rustle up some fries and cheese fried salmon for Dave as Gabe got to munch on some minced steak in the corner. Despite arguing, the proprietor wouldn’t accept payment. Dave was grateful but it sat weird in his gut. He’d find a way to make it up to them, maybe take on a night hunt once he’s healed up.  


Dave sat on the vinyl stool finishing off his Jetty’s, idly listening to the radio when he saw a glimmer of light out of the window to his left, towards Longwythe Peak. Frowning he leaned back to get a better look, surprised at the bobbing light.  


It wasn’t a demon that was for sure, was someone travelling this late?  


Gabe was curled up at his stool and he lifted his head quizzingly when Dave alighted.  


‘Stay, boy.’ He muttered, eyes not leaving the strange light. Gabe huffed, head resting back on his paws exhaling like he was oh so tired with the world as Dave left the diner.  


Swinging round the back he heard the sounds of the desert at night whistle across the rocks; the chittering of demons up in the Balouve Mines, clanging through the old pipes to his left and the groan of demons spawning around the mountain. The light continued to bob towards him as Dave squinted before he finally figured out what it was. A flashlight.  


Astral’s sake the man had _walked._  


Then again Dave reasoned to himself, that was how they had first met. Maybe he had a thing for twilight walks the nutter.  


‘Bloody obvious to all of Eos you grew up behind the Wall, Marshall.’ He called out into the darkness, the man in question stepping into the light proper.  


‘Good day to you too. You got my message then?’  


_No pleasantries then, that’s about right._  


Heat crept up Dave’s neck at the reminder. This was gonna be a fun ruddy night.  


‘Yeah, though I doubt it’s the message you wanted to send.’ He replied back, walking towards the diner.  


‘The Communication Officer seemed to find it funny for some reason, if that’s what you mean.’ Cor answered matching Dave’s stride.  


_Yeap,_ Dave thought, _kid must have bust a gut, Marshall._  


He whistled, Gabe trotting out of the diner towards them as they made their way towards the motel. Cor’s hand twitched as the dog ran up, watching carefully as Gabe sniffed around the newcomer. Dave looked at the Marshall’s stance with surprise.  


‘Don’t like dogs, Marshall?’ he asked, incredulously.  


Cor didn’t exactly startle per say but he certainly flinched at the question.  


‘Consider it a wariness. There aren’t many dogs in Insomnia.’ He replied, tension slipping from his body as Gabe finished his evaluation and sauntered back to Dave.  


_And half of them I see are bloody Messengers._ Cor thought, smartly not voicing that particular point.  


‘Gabe’s harmless, unless he deems you otherwise.’  


Dave walked over to the motel owner, that squirming taking residence again in his gut at the approach. He was damn well tempted to just ignore the booked room and grab another but he was tired and it was the best room after all. He wasn’t saying no to saving a few gil either.  


‘Evening lads,’ the old man smiled as they approached, Cor cautiously keeping his eyes on Gabe who simply stared back, Cor tilted his head watching him as Dave conversed with the man behind the counter. Gabe tilted his head right back.  


‘Right shall we head in?’ Dave asked, snapping Cor out of his thoughts.  


‘Yeah, right.’ Cor nodded, _it had been a long enough day._ ‘Sure.’  


Dave nodded, wondering when he should break the news to Cor. He made his way to the door to the room, leaving the man to ineffectively rub the tiredness out of his eyes. Opening to door, Dave came to two conclusions.  


  1. The Hunters at the Prairie Outpost needed more patrols indefinitely and
  2. The Hunters at the Prairie Outpost had far too much damn time on their hands



Though, Dave had to nod at their resourcefulness. Clearly the comm lines were holding if they managed to set this up in under a day.  


_Imagine what they could do if they used that power productively,_ he mused walking into the room.  


‘Is this a damn joke?’  


Dave looked over to Cor who had just entered the room. The room with two single beds lashed together, chocolates and beer on the table and a sign that declared ‘Marshall x Dave’ over the window.  


‘You had no idea what you asked, did you?’ Dave chuckled, undoing his jacket and placing it on the back of one of the chairs as Gabe made himself comfortable on it.  


‘What the hell do you mean?’  


‘You asked one of the boys to set up a meeting at Longwythe?’ Dave said casually leaning against the table, grabbing a beer. If he was dealing with an irate Immortal, Dave needed a beer.  


He watched the cogs turn behind Cor’s eyes as they roved around the room before he sighed, walking in proper to allow the door to close behind him.  


‘A hookup spot, I take it?’ he muttered, leaning against the wall.  


Dave couldn’t help but chuckle as he took a swig. The situation was absurd. He pointed at the sign with his bottle.  


‘Take it as a good sign, Marshall.’ Dave laughed, ‘I think the boys like you.’  


A strange sound strangled out of Cor’s throat at that. Dave blinked.  


_No way._  


‘Was…’ he started.  


‘No.’ Cor answered before Dave could finish, walking across and grabbing his own beer.  


Dave looked over at Gabe who was happily curled up on the chair asleep, before looking back at Cor. If he didn’t know any better, that was almost a laugh.  


Far sight from the blood stained man who’d he’d seen wander out of the darkness.  


‘I used to hear stories of you when I was a boy,’ Dave stated, sitting gratefully down into one of the chairs while Cor sat down on the edge of one of the beds, kicking off his red heeled boots with a grunt.  


‘That so?’ he answered warily, removing his own jacket, placing it at the foot of the bed.  


‘Grew up hearing from my Mother the tale of the Boy and the Blademaster,’ Dave smiled to himself, so lost in the memory that he didn’t see Cor stiffen across the room. ‘It was a favourite, the thought that someone the same age as me had crossed blades with the Ghost of Taelpar Crag and lived to tell the tale…’  


‘I told no tales.’ Cor muttered, taking a healthy slug from his bottle, draining half in one go. ‘Everyone else told that tale and no one let me forget it.’  


Dave frowned.  


‘A victory against the Blademaster…’ he started.  


‘It was no damn victory.’ Cor stood up, finishing his bottle and grabbing another.  


‘You lived…’ Dave tried to reason, frowning at how this conversation had shifted so quickly, ‘you lived when others died.’  


‘Story of my damned life.’ Cor sighed, lifting the bottle only to stop and place it back down with a heavy sigh. ‘Sorry, Dave…wasn’t it?’  


Dave couldn’t help the laugh that came out from that, Gabe’s ear flapping from the sound. The tension in the room slipping away as Dave stood up, hand outstretched.  


‘Dave Auburnbrie, heir to the Hunters and washed up backwater Hunter at your service.’  


Cor surprised Dave with a tiny quirked smile that vanished as quickly as it was there before standing straight and taking his hand.  


‘Cor Leonis, Marshall to his Highness’ Crownsguard and the remnants of Lucis’ army.’  


‘Nice to finally meet you.’  


Cor snorted.  


‘Likewise.’  


He shook Dave’s hand firmly, the movement shaking Dave’s arm, pulling on the tender wound. The wince didn’t go unnoticed.  


‘You’re injured?’  


Dave pulled his arm away, palm open.  


‘A flesh wound, nothing to worry about.’ Dave dismissed, sitting down.  


Cor took a swig of his bottle before waving his hand, sparks erupting around his palm, materialising a potion out of seemingly nowhere. Dave startled, spilling his beer.  


‘What the hell?’  


‘What?’ Cor asked, confusion on his face at the response, even as Dave tried to parse something in existence that wasn’t just in existence and suddenly was but wasn’t but what the fuck?  


The bottle was clearly just an energy drink like the ones him and Caleb had shared earlier… but…but…  


_But how?_  


‘Where did that come from?’ Dave asked, pointing at the bottle trying to make sense of his world again.  


‘The crystal’s magic, you’ve never seen it?’ Cor asked, walking round the chair to sit opposite Dave on the edge of the bed.  


‘I- um…’ Dave swallowed hard, before deciding his beer was a better substitute, ‘yeah…I’ve seen it before, way before, once when I were a lad. But it summoned blades not…not drinks.’ He ended lamely.  


Cor raised his eyebrows in surprise. He supposed it made sense that people on the other side of the Wall wouldn’t see the crystal’s magic now he thought about it, it was weird as it had been such a staple in his existence so far in his life, however someone who hadn’t spent their time in Insomnia wouldn’t have seen it…  


_Unless they wandered onto a battleground…_  


Cor gestured to Dave’s shoulder.  


‘Come on, take the binding off.’  


Despite looking dubiously at the eerily glowing energy drink, Dave moved to comply, pulling the hem of his shirt up and wrestling his arm out, leaving the shirt resting against his neck.  


Considering the situation, he felt rather…hesitant to go straight up topless.  


_Massive courtship sign above the window be damned._  


On the bed Cor paused. Eyes trailing down, he was surprised by the solid muscle he found there and the many, many scars. It was…erm…surprising yes. Then his eyes alighted on the hasty wrap around the man’s shoulder and anything that rose within him was exhaled in a sigh.  


‘You trying to get an infection?’  


Dave frowned. He knew his skills weren’t brilliant but he’d never gotten ill from a wound yet thank you very much.  


‘A temporary thing until I get better supplies,’ Dave bristled, twitchy in the air conditioned room, half naked in front of a practical stranger.  


_A stranger who just appraised him, with a focus Dave was certain was usually reserved for battle…_  


‘Never mind, this’ll fix it up.’ Cor dismissed, leaning forward.  


Cor placed the bottle closer to the wound, the slight glow lighting up the blood stained gauze before Cor crushed it in a glittering shower of blue and green shards. Dave gasped out, having not realised he had been holding his breath as the sparks sank into his shoulder. A cool sensation spreading across the muscle, a slight itch as he watched the wound knit together leaving sun-tanned skin in its wake. Eyes wide he suddenly leaned forward, Cor instinctively leaning back, quickly pulling up his trouser leg, removing the bandage and splint to see what he’d already expected…  


There was no sign of the Voretooth’s parting gift, he turned his ankle experimentally. It was fine.  


He was healed.  


Looking up into Cor’s ice chip eyes, Dave could only stammer.  


_How many lives could have been saved with access to these?!_  


‘Seems it worked.’ Cor muttered, an uncomfortable feeling creeping up his spine. His plan was to help, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that this time, it was he who had misstepped.  


Dave’s mind was racing. His injuries were gone, he felt energised; his general aches were lessened.  


These potions were an Astrals-damned marvel. Flesh wounds reduced or removed, the body reenergised and revitalised just through the action of a single energy drink imbued with the magic of Kings.  


And they had sat behind a magical wall for the past 30 years.  


His tags chimed against his chest as he sat back and absently removed the wrap around his shoulder before fixing his tee-shirt.  


‘Hey…Dave, are you okay?’ Cor asked, voice uncharacteristically soft as he regarded the shell shocked Hunter.  


‘I…I need to go.’ He muttered, pulling his boots on and grabbing his jacket, not even bothering to put it on as he went to leave.  


Cor could only watch him go, eyes wide as he swept out of the room door slamming behind him. Gabe woke up, looking around a moment before jumping up and following, jumping up and depressing the handle enough to open the door and follow.  


Eventually Cor sat back down, the night air sweeping into the room.  


_What the hell?_  



	7. Chapter 7

Dave didn’t come back. Instead opting to sleep in the truck with his jacket rolled up behind his neck to try and mitigate the crick he would absolutely be sporting by the morning. Gabe curled up in the passenger’s seat, clearly displeased with the lesser sleeping cushion to the ones in the motel.  


‘Sorry, boy. It’s better than a rock.’ He reasoned.  


Gabe huffed, clearly unconvinced.  


Dave felt bad for his partner. He momentarily considered going out and getting another room but dismissed it. The gil he gave to Wiz to allow Caleb to stay at the Post (without his knowledge) was enough of a blow that he knew it was wise to ignore the pull of a mattress so he had enough gil to refuel the truck and get back to Meldacio.  


He was an idiot for thinking he could…could what? Make friends with an Insomnian? Someone who spent their time in the luxury of a Crown City, with technologies that they could only dream of possessing, able to sleep at night without the stomach curdling sounds of demons materialising and fighting amongst themselves outside your window every night when the sun went down.  


Someone who had access to supposedly magical vials that cured injuries and fatigue like…like…  


Like Magic.  


‘Astrals, what the fuck…’ Dave muttered to no one in particular, his flare of anger only serving to make him even more tired.  


*thudthud*  


‘Ramuh fu-‘ Dave clutched his chest as Gabe growled, looking out of the window to see the reason he was so pissed frowning at him in the dark. Scowling right back, Dave opened the door, but made no move to leave. ‘What?’  


Cor calmly considered the man in front of him, calculating how to fix the misstep. The conversation had been tense from the beginning, however it was only after he’d used the potion that Dave had reacted so dramatically.  


_Was it because he didn’t want the help? Did I insult him by using it?_   


Cor was unsure. He didn’t want to cause further problems if he was trying to recruit this man’s help for the Prince.  


‘I offended you.’ He said instead.  


The statement startled Dave as he looked at Cor’s stern face, that uncomfortable squirming twisting in his gut once more. There were so many things he wanted to say, wanted to shout at the Marshall but Dave knew the confrontation would lead to nothing, so what was the point?  


_What was the point of a fight he was never gonna win?_   


Dave sighed, already done with the conversation.  


‘It wasn’t offense that you did…I…’ he dropped it, there was something far more pressing at the moment after all, ‘the potion; how many do you have and are you able to get more?’  


Cor was taken aback before he considered where this question could be going as he hesitantly answered.  


‘I have 5 on my person now, I may be able to get some more however they are created by the King and with him…having passed; it will be up to the Prince.’  


‘Only the kid can do it?’  


‘Only His Highness, yes.’  


Dave nodded distractedly, the sounds of the tinny radio in the diner echoing across the silent car park.  


‘Demon activity has been on the rise, incident reports have been coming in thick and fast these past weeks. We’ve lost a lot of Hunters, young and old, I can’t help but think how many mightav’ been saved, if they had sommat like that…’ he trailed off, looking out to the darkened plains of Longwythe, not really seeing it.  


Cor sighed. Yeah. He understood that.  


‘We can discuss further in the room. Come on.’  


Cor strode back towards the room not even waiting for a response, leaving Dave looking at Gabe in exasperation.  


‘I feel like I’m acting a damn fool round this guy, boy.’  


Gabe just huffed before jumping over Dave to land on the floor, trotting forward towards the motel. Dave suppressed a giggle as he watch Gabe brush past Cor, entering the room first and clearly making the man jump out of his skin.  


‘Always got my back. Good boy.’ Dave muttered, stomach still churning but now with a quirk of smile on his face. Dave climbed out himself and closed the door. Walking back inside, his body aching in that way that screamed he was very long overdue for sleep, Dave sat down on the bed closest to the door.  


‘So why did you agree to meet me?’ Cor asked, once again leaning against the table, arms crossed.  


Dave didn’t care. He was tired. He was uncomfortable, the Leidan heat still hadn’t dissipated and if he could finish this conversation and get some sleep in a comfortable bed (Gabe had already reclaimed the chair) then he was game.  


‘Last I checked, you invited me, _Immortal.’_  


It was a petty barb, but Dave felt better minutely having done it.  


‘Yet you agreed,’ Cor answered, slight anger lacing his tone, ‘so we both were hoping for something from this.’  


Dave huffed, shucking off his boots and his belt. ‘So I think the question is right backatcha’ Marshall.’ He glared over at him where the Man stood, leaning against the table. ‘Why the hell am I here?’  


Cor didn’t move outside of his quiet breathing as he considered the question. The Hunters would be useful. With Insomnia’s forces now lying dead or missing after the invasion, the Prince had few allies; even less who had combat experience, but he didn’t even know if they were willing to help.  


_Then again, Dave had risked himself to get the Hunters mobilised to watch the Empire and he sent word of the hidden path into the fortress…_   


‘The Hunters have eyes and ears all over Lucis.’ He started only to be interrupted by a clearly irate and tired hunter.  


‘And you wanna use em? We’ve got enough trouble.’  


‘We’ve got a shared goal…’  


‘And you know our goals?’  


‘I know you mobilised the Hunters.’  


‘To protect the people, not you.’  


‘And the hidden entrance?’  


Dave paused.  


‘That…’ he answered, ‘was a debt.’  


Cor’s eyebrows raised at that.  


‘A debt…to whom?’  


‘Tell me…your Prince…he a lad with black hair?’  


The pause was more incriminating than if Cor had said anything.  


Dave nodded to himself, pulling off his trousers before pulling the blanket off the bed. _Too damn hot for quilts._  


‘Well a lad with black hair and a group of folks dressed in black and skulls, ye know,’ he added pointedly, ‘like you; saved my life few days back in Leide. I was in bad shape after trying to take down a damn beast of a dualhorn, got caught by a pack of sabers on my way back to my truck. They turned up. Took out the sabers then took out the beast aswell.’  


Dave couldn’t help the smile at the memory.  


‘Kid didn’t even ask for anythin’, just nodded and headed out. Heard from Cindy the next day that they’d done it and were asking about other hunts. Plucky lot.’  


‘That is the Prince of Lucis you’re calling _‘plucky’.’_ Cor retorted, grabbing a new bottle and moving to the other bed.  


‘So he is the Prince.’  


Cor flinched. He knew Dave knew from before but damn if he hadn’t just confirmed it.  


‘Don’t you worry, Marshall.’ Dave sighed, lying down gratefully. ‘I don’t care for Princes or Kings. All I know is that the lad went out of his way to make Leide safer and he…’  


Cor looked over at the pause from where he’d stretched his legs out on the mattress, half sat up against the peeling wall behind him.  


‘He even went out of his way to get some tags that had been spotted. He brought em back. Despite everything he still refused payment. I just gave em a bunch of drinks, they looked unused to the Leiden heat.’ He chuckled.  


Cor smiled, knowing now that Dave had no idea what a gift he had actually given them as he idily scratched at the corner of the label of the bottle. The beer was bitter and had an odd metallic tang to it, kinda whiffed of car oil and his head was already cottony from what he’d already drank. It wasn’t much, but he’d knocked them back too quickly when he was already exhausted.  


Neck prickling from being watched, he snapped his head over to the other man who turned away just as quickly.  


‘Meldacio can share information on the Empire’s movements with you if that’s what you were after.’  


‘For what His Highness did?’  


‘For what a lad with no reason to do what he did, and for what he’s still doing.’  


Cor sighed, taking another swig.  


‘I needed to talk to you about something else. Something important.’  


‘You confessin’ Marshall? I’m flattered.’ Dave snorted, turning his back on the other man, punching the pillow under his head.  


‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Cor huffed, ‘not my type.’  


‘Oh? Then what is your type?’ he asked, body already pulling him down into sleep.  


Cor was silent. The sound of swishing behind Dave’s shoulder loud in the room as Cor drank again.  


‘I need help to find the ancient tombs of the Old Kings.’ Cor said instead.  


A prickle of unease crept its way down Dave’s spine, a childish urge to grab his discarded quilt sweeping through him as the room suddenly felt so much colder.  


‘…nothing but ghosts in those places Marshall.’  


Cor chuckled without humour, lifting his bottle once more.  


‘It’s the ghosts I’m here for.’  


The words the Marshall had said to Clara back at the Prairie Outpost echoed through Dave’s mind. A man facing the darkness and the horrors within to open an old ruin? Astrals it made no sense…maybe it was a good thing Insomnia had stayed locked behind its Wall if it was determined to mess with ghosts.  


‘You have business with them?’  


Cor paused again.  


‘You could say that.’  


Dave grunted in answer and Cor shook his head.  


‘We’ll talk in the morning, sleep well Hunter.’  


Dave was already asleep.  


Cor polished off the beers in silence as he watched the demons walk across the desert in the darkness, until the sun came up and vanquished them all.  


* * *

Dave filled up his truck with fuel as the sun beat down on the back of his neck. He was looking forward to getting back to Cleigne. Though the sweltering heat of the Vesperpool was hardly a good swap.  


‘You heading out?’  


Dave tried not to flinch and was certain he failed. For a man more built than him, the man was quiet even on the dusty ground.  


‘Headin’ through Duscae if you need a lift?’ he asked, putting the pump back in its cradle and closing the cap, punching it to push it flush.  


‘I have need to return to Hammerhead, but thank you.’  


Gabe barked, his head suddenly appearing at the open driver’s side window. Cor jumped back instinctively as Dave laughed out loud, ruffling Gabe’s ears.  


‘Don’t go killing my dog, Marshall.’ He laughed.  


‘As long as he doesn’t kill me first.’ Cor replied, banishing his sword and pulling himself out of stance.  


‘Aw, he’s just playin’ ain’t ya boy?’  


Gabe barked again, looking very much pleased with himself.  


‘The tombs.’ Dave started, still fussing Gabe as his laughter died away, ‘I can get a handful of folks looking for them. They’ll answer to me, not Meldacio. It should help keep the information scarce on the ground.’  


Cor nodded.  


‘I appreciate it. Thank you for meeting me.’ He hesitated before continuing, ‘the potions are not something that can be distributed, we simply don’t have enough and His Highness isn’t strong enough to create that many, but-‘ he interrupted Dave before he could talk, ‘I can procure some for emergency use and I’d also like to work with the Hunters to improve their combat efficiency.’  


‘Reduce injury and improve emergency aid.’ Dave nodded, ‘that could work. Thank you.’  


‘Not at all.’ Cor dismissed, ‘I’ll speak to you soon.’  


Cor stopped as he went to leave at Dave’s suddenly outstretched hand. Stepping up to the other man, Cor gripped the man’s calloused hand tightly.  


‘Safe travels, Dave.’  


‘You too, Cor.’  


Cor marched into the desert heat towards Hammerhead, feeling a slight lift in the miasma that had swallowed him since Insomnia fell. Back at the truck, Dave turned to Gabe with a smile.  


‘Well whaddya know boy? Looks like we made a friend.’  



	8. Chapter 8

Several months passed.  


Dave and Cor never met face to face but left messages to each other across Lucis. Maps marked with information and locations, caches put aside of varying types of drinks and oddly to the shop keepers who held onto them, feather souvenirs they sold to be picked up. At Meldacio, the Hunters were trained in various types of weaponry and even target practice with firearms.  


The number of casualties had gone down, even as the number of incidents rose.  


The Empire continued their march across Lucis but for every fortress they occupied, the people spoke of nights of explosions and violence and mornings of silence as the fortresses stood empty once more.  


One even told the tale of how Ramuh himself had destroyed the Imperial forces, but he must have clearly been seeing things.  


The Astrals coming down and fighting against the Empire? Please. Get real.  


…even though Titan disappeared recently…  


The quiet War was continuing, but it would soon come to a head. The Empire, tired of being constantly bested, hit back.  


And hit hard.  


  


  


Lestallum had fallen.  


  


  


Cor walked into the Cauthess Coernix in a daze. Another death to count, another he couldn’t protect, another traumatised child being uprooted; his world destroyed as he went to live with strangers. Cor sat at one of the tables, content to watch the day pass as his mind raced with any steps he could have taken to change what had happened, any other ways he could have gone about it. That lump of black that clung to his heart twisted as he swallowed tears; his mind whispering to him the truth of the matter, insidious in his ear.  


_You weren’t there. Once again, you weren’t there._   


Clenching his fist, Cor bent over his knees. He couldn’t cry, he’d dare not, if he did he knew he wouldn’t stop…  


_Cor the Immortal doesn’t cry._   


So he sat there, burying it all down as hard as he could as the sun slowly moved towards the horizon.  


Talcott and Iris were alive. Talcott was already in Caem with Monica and Dustin. Iris was in the care of His Highness and her brother.  


They should be arriving in the morning.  


Someone turned a radio on by the food stands and like that the strange spell was broken. Sound rushed back into Cor’s ears making him gasp, sitting up quickly. He shakily rubbed across his face, looking around, sniffing as he wrestled back his composure. No one was paying attention to him; folks were just walking around, getting something to eat and settling down for the night. Cor looked out once more to the great Duscean arches and the meteor beyond.  


_You weren’t there either…_   


Cor shook his head swiftly standing up, blinking at the head rush. He didn’t have the time to unpack how he felt at hearing that the Prince had been saved from the meteor by the Empire themselves; tried to push away the heaviness in his gut that his Prince had been trapped, even for a short time, in an Imperial airship. It seems it was only by the whims of the Empire’s enigmatic Chancellor that Cor wasn’t opening up plans for a chase and rescue to Gralea.  


He had enough memories of that place to last him a lifetime.  


No. He had no time for such emotions. He had to plan and think of the next steps they could take.  


Cor sighed.  


He was exhausted.  


‘Heard Dave headed out again…’  


‘Again? Ain’t he always on the move?’  


‘Nah, he’s headed _out_ , ye know?’  


‘Ooh, well damn. Hope the prat don’t kill himself this time.’  


‘Either way we ain’t hearin’ from him for a while.’  


The two walking to the caravan both brake out laughing before walking in, other cheers erupting from inside before being muffled by the door being closed.  


Cor watched them in disbelief.  


_I fucking hate people…_   


But they’d mentioned Dave and by the sounds of it; Dave’s gone and done something stupid…and not for the first time.  


Resolve pushing him to move, Cor headed straight to the station.  


‘Evenin’…ah, Marshall how can I help you?’ the attendant greeted, standing up straighter when he realised just who had walked in.  


Cor nodded at the youth, recognising him as one he’d trained in firearms after a slew of rogue robberies had swept through Duscae.  


‘Dave Auburnbrie.’ Cor answered abruptly, ‘Where is he?’  


The kid jumped.  


‘Ah, he umm…I don’t think…I-‘he stammered, clearly uncomfortable. Cor frowned approaching the desk.  


‘A location. Now.’  


‘He’ll be around Fallaughns Haven, Marshall. He always goes near there when…’ the kid trailed off.  


Cor felt that heaviness in his gut again. This was something else; another misstep, another piece of information he wasn’t privy to and could possibly lead to someone else he knew being in danger.  


Cursing to himself, Cor pull out his map.  


‘Mark it.’  


The sun had set by the time Cor had made his way to the area of Fallaughns and to no one’s surprise, it was empty. Looking around Cor hoped to spot, _something_ as he heard the background noise of demons rising in the field that stretched to the edge of the meteor.  


Racing through the darkness would do nothing productive, it would only bring more monsters to him. So Cor sat down on the glowing rock closing his eyes and opening his ears to the sounds of the night.  


At first all he could hear was the sound of the wind as it passed through the leaves of the woods behind him, the sound similar to surf at the coast rolling above him. Deeper he listened to the sounds of metal and chains, grunts and laughs as demons roamed. The chime of bugs trilled underneath that and as Cor was beginning to lose hope of hearing anything, he heard something startlingly familiar.  


A smash of glass and the roar of an Iron Giant.  


Standing up and summoning his blade, Cor turned towards the woods and ran.  


The forest was near black as Cor turned on his flashlight, dodging roots and brackish undergrowth as he raced towards the commotion that increased in volume as he got closer and closer.  


_‘Come on yer bastard ya want some?!’_   


Cor sent a prayer that the Astrals stay his hand from killing the man he was racing to save.  


It would seriously take a miracle to stop him from lopping that idiot’s head from his damned shoulders.  


He pushed past bushes and wove past trees, before emerging into the field past the woods to see Dave with his machete in one hand and a rude gesture towards the unimpressed Iron Giant in the other.  


‘Come on ya cu-Whoa!’  


Dave dodged the massive blade that slammed down next him and ducked the follow up, before stumbling towards the demon, a clang sounding across the field as the machete bounced off the Giant’s leg.  


Cor swept past the demon before it realised they had company, jumping up, feet landing on the Giant’s arm, its swing propelling him into the air as the blue light of the crystal swept through his body, coalescing into his blade even as the Giant looked up in confusion.  


‘Too Late!’ Cor screamed as he fell, bringing his blade down in a flash of light, landing and sheathing his blade with a click as the Iron Giant fell; dead.  


The body dematerialised behind him in a swirl of miasma until the only sound was the wisp of the wind around him. Breaking the calming spell, Cor let out his held breath.  


‘Who…whoa…what the _fuck_ …I ‘ad ‘im you…’ Dave stumbled at Cor in the darkness before recognition lit his clouded eyes. ‘Well fuck me, what’re you doin’ ‘ere?’  


Cor opened his eyes as he felt his anger flare, bright white and hot, banishing his blade and striding up to the thoroughly smashed so called heir to the hunters Cor punched him hard across his jaw, sending him dropping like so many potatoes in a sack.  


Dave landed on the grass with a thump, eyes dazed as he frowned up at the stars in the sky as if wondering why or even how he was even looking at them right now.  


‘You…punched me.’ He slurred, hand tapping at his face unable to quite land it where he wanted it. Cor spotted the machete under Dave’s torso where he must have dropped it, it was lying flat and so had been harmless, but Dave must have been holding it when Cor had punched him.  


Cor hadn’t seen it and Dave could have easily have dropped it another way.  


A vision flashed through Cor’s mind of Dave choking on his own blood with his own machete through his chest that Cor would have inadvertently punched him into and it only served to send his anger into a flood.  


‘You absolute piece of shit. What are you doing out here?!’ he shouted, his voice cracking into Dave like a whip.  


‘Lettin’ off steam…can’t a man get pissed nowadays?’ Dave whined, head thumping back on the grass.  


Growling, Cor strode forward, grabbing Dave by his jacket and hauling him off the machete before dragging him up the hill.  


‘Wha-, oi ye mangy git whe…where you...ow, fuck.’  


Cor ignored Dave’s slurred protestations as he made his way to one of the small craters that pockmarked the area, getting to the lip of the cliff before hauling Dave over the edge.  


‘Whhaaaa-!’  


Dave bounced and rolled down the short drop, kicking up dust as he went arse over tit towards the water below while Cor followed at a much more sedate pace.  


With a splash Dave landed in the shallow pool, pulling his head out of the water instinctually with a gasp but a strong hand gripped his jacket and pushed him back under.  


Dave flailed as he fought to breathe, the freezing cold water crashing through his alcohol induced haze like shattering glass. The hand pulled him back out and he gasped, forcing the cold air into his lungs before he was pushed back in.  


‘Ah..- al...’ he tried as he was pushed back out, ‘alright…I- Fuck! Stop!’  


One last shove had Dave hitting murky water before pushing himself up, falling backwards with a thud before rolling to cough out the water he’d swallowed. He looked behind him to see the very intimidating figure of the Marshall looking down at him like he was no more than the dirt he was laying on.  


‘Cor? What the hell you doin’ he…’  


Then Dave’s stomach decided that now was a great time to take umbrage to Dave’s abuse of it.  


Cor waited patiently for Dave to finish heaving before ‘helping’ Dave clean himself up by dunking his head again before swinging his arm across his shoulders and hauling him towards the Haven, thankful that the demons seemed uncaring of the two on their journey, Dave coughing as they went.  


Dropping Dave onto the glowing stone, Cor settled down to get the fire going.  


‘Where’s your dog?’ he asked, quick and to the point as he scrapped the ever glowing embers of the haven into a calm glow.  


‘Ummpf,’ Dave replied eloquently, pulling himself carefully up to sit cross-legged as he rubbed at the top of his head. ‘Gabe’s at Cauthess. Caleb’s watchin’ ‘im.’  


Cor nodded as sparks caught, the magic of the Haven pushing them into flame. He knew Caleb. He’d met the kid a couple of times during the past months on hunts and a few less savoury missions against the Empire. Good kid, better potential; reminded him a lot of Prompto and had this weird thing where his hair seemed to constantly be changing colour. If Gabe was with him, he was in good hands.  


But that meant that whatever this was, was premeditated. Enough for him to find someone to look after his most precious companion.  


_The bastard came out here knowing he was going to be sodden by the time the Sun set._   


Cor stood, heading towards the trees as Dave frowned after him, his movements sluggish as his body and head thudded with his heartbeat. Dave turned back to the small fire as Cor’s figure got swallowed by the darkness.  


He jumped violently at the crunching crash that erupted from behind him. He turned to see a whole tree fall with a twisted whine before smashing to the forest floor with a shuddering earthquake of a thud. Dave blinked at the sight, looking into the forest to see flashing eyes of demons look around before darting away quickly, having decided it was truly not worth it.  


_Was he seeing things now?_   


More crunches and heavy grunts of exertion before a red faced Cor climbed back onto the Haven, arms laden with wood.  


‘What…what did I just see?’ he asked, voice still slurred as his head followed Cor as though on a turn pin.  


Cor ignored him as he fed the fire.  


Dave looked behind him once more, before deciding it was smarter if he just shut up.  


_Demons got the right idea staying away…_   


The fire crackled merrily despite the tense atmosphere at the Haven. Dave had to strip off his soaked top as he started shivering in the wind, glad of the warmth of the fire to ward off the chill as he slowly, ever so slowly sobered up.  


‘If you wanted to commit suicide I could’ve sliced your head off.’  


They’d been sat in silence for a long time when Cor broke it with _that_ scathing comment. _As sharp with his words as his blade._ Dave sighed heavily, rubbing his hands towards the fire before shaking out his shirt.  


‘You’re still learnin’, Insomnian.’ Dave muttered, assessing the shirt, finding it still damp before placing it back by the fire. ‘This happens now and again, everyone else knows to leave me the hell alone.’  


‘Yeah, I heard your subordinates laughing about it at the Coernix, _Lucian.’_  


Dave glared at Cor who stared right back with a look that could freeze even the Glacian.  


‘Look it’s just a necessary evil. I come out here. Get someone to take care of Gabe, spend a night lettin’ loose n go back to work in a coupla days. No harm, no foul.’  


‘You nearly died tonight, baiting an Iron Giant into a fight you had no chance of winning.’  


The image flashed in Dave’s mind of a blue light enflamed Cor crashing down from the sky like a falling star but he shook it away.  


‘That…was something I don’t usually do.’  


‘What was different this time?’  


Dave opened his mouth to answer but just sighed instead. He…really had no answer to that. Usually he could just lose himself into oblivion, wake up aching so damn hard he had no choice but to focus on that and only that and by the time he was back to normal functions the pain had been pushed down enough that he no longer was plagued by his memories. He didn’t know what had changed, but those thoughts were closer…so much closer than they usually were. The images so clear when before they were blurry, faded around the edges. These past weeks those edges had been sharp and cutting, voices chasing him into his sleep…  


‘This is a common occurrence, how common we talking?’ Cor asked, interrupting Dave’s thoughts.  


‘What’s it to you?’ he bit back.  


‘I wanna know how many times I need to hunt you down as you actively try to get yourself killed.’  


‘Don’t worry,’ Dave sarcastically answered, ‘next year I’m sure you’ll be somewhere else.’  


‘So once a year then?’  


Dave stammered realising that he’d just given himself away before growling, leaning towards the fire. Cor felt his heart lurch as he watched Dave. He knew that look, he knew it all too well having lived with the same pain for most of his long life. Far too young and then consistently enough that he was never to forget it, never bury it; never move on. Exhaling quietly Cor stood up. He took off his jacket and draped it over Dave’s shoulders before sitting close, Dave flinching at the movement and the treatment, opening his mouth to protest only to be silenced by Cor’s glare.  


‘Thank you…’ he muttered quietly instead, turning back towards the fire, the warmth and subtle smell embedded in the unexpectedly weighty blazer lending a comfort he had not been expecting…or hoping.  


There was silence between them as the fire burned.  


‘Who did you lose?’  


Dave startled at the question, eyes wide as he looked at Cor who kept his eyes resolutely on the fire before him, leg tucked under the other, arm resting on his bent knee. Dave watched him a moment before deflating with a shuddering exhale. He’d kept it locked away for over 15 years. No one knew, not even his Mother…  


‘Her name was Marnie…’ he started, but even that proved too much. He’d not uttered her name in all that time, no once in all of his grief had he dared say it and hearing it out loud he could suddenly hear everything; her laugh, her tears, her shouts of elation, of joy, of pain and ecstasy; he heard it all, flooding through him, making him gasp. The pain was sudden and sharp, twisting his chest as his face crumpled.  


Cor sat quietly as Dave finally broke. He stayed silent even as Dave’s held back tears forced themselves out of him even as they turned into anguish and screams, only able to keep his hand on Dave’s shoulder to tether him to the world remembering when these roles had been reversed in a dark chamber of stone under the Citadel, the hand on his shoulder encompassing it completely. Pulling himself from times long now past, Cor glanced at Dave before turning back towards the horizon before him, the sounds of the night slowly ebbing away as Dave allowed his grief to cascade.  


The sky was turning from pitch to grey as Dawn approached before Dave wrestled back his composure, face burning with embarrassment even as his chest ached with the force of his sobs, his eyes red from tears. He’d never cried that hard before, not even when…  


He’d never cried that hard before.  


What was happening to him?  


Cor squeezed Dave’s shoulder absently before pulling a water bottle out of the armiger and passing it to him in silence.  


Dave nodded in thanks, not trusting his voice before he drank it down. He cleared his throat.  


‘M’ sorry.’  


Cor didn’t bother acknowledging the apology.  


‘Who was she?’ he asked quietly instead, eyes still turned away to the quieting Dawn.  


Dave allowed himself to touch those memories again, surprised to feel a hum of pain instead of the whiplash he usually encountered. He reached out to them tentatively, hesitantly and the warmth that suffused him struck him dumb.  


Cor stay silent again, content to watch the sky lightening before him.  


‘She was…everything.’ Dave finally spoke, ‘she was beautiful. I’d never known anyone like her. I was an idiot for not marrying he-.’  


His voice shuddered again before he pushed on. He’d not mentioned her and now he didn’t want to stop.  


‘I couldn’t believe my luck when she asked me out ye know. I was a damn fool, barely 20 and ready to save the world.’ He laughed with a hint of humour. ‘She broke everything I had known about the world and then built it back up, she opened my eyes to everything. I was a kid, thinking everything was what I had been taught, but there was so much to the world I never knew…so much that she showed me.’  


Cor listened to the cryptic statements, trying to parse their meaning unable to find the explaination until Dave dropped the key to the puzzle in the next breath.  


‘She was Gralean.’  


Cor’s eyebrows rose at that statement, the only sign of surprise he allowed himself to show as he turned to watch Dave as the man’s smile faded, his eyes lost in the past even as they watched the dwindling fire. Unaware of his companion’s shock he carried on.  


‘She travelled a lot, so it wasn’t strange that I wouldn’t see her for the longest time, but I heard talk that she was in Lucis again and I went trailing her. I was so excited that I ignored all that I had learned. I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings, of the sounds around me. I found her, but it was a trap. The Hunter’s knew I’d take them to her.’  


Cor, still staring at the horizon felt his face pull into a frown as his thoughts sank into darkness, heart thudding. He knew where this was going. He’d felt this pressure against his skin before, had tasted the _knowing,_ the understanding of what was coming before.  


He’d felt it a day ago, when he’d heard that the Empire had left Old Lestallum. That feeling like snowflakes landing and freezing slowly across his skin, that something was wrong…  


Snapping himself out of dreams of snow he realised Dave had been quiet for a while, swaying by his side.  


‘They executed her?’ Cor supplied.  


Dave said nothing, before sitting up straighter and nodding.  


Closing his eyes, Cor felt that pain rush through him. He’d been executioner for countless spies over the years, all sanctioned by the King. Regis made it against the Crown to execute people for suspected betrayal to Lucis to stop the Hunts that sprung up during the worst of the War so to lose someone you loved like that…  


‘I never stood against them.’ Dave whispered, surprising himself with how he was talking about it, ‘I never fought against it. I just felt so damn betrayed by her that I allowed them to take her away, by the time I found my courage, by the time my stupid ass realised that it didn’t even matter, that I loved her-…’  


‘It was too late.’ Cor finished for him.  


Dave sighed even as the sun peaked over the horizon.  


‘Yeah. It was too late.’  


Cor had nothing to reply to that. Just watched as their Star started banishing the darkness of night back, the cries of demons muted in the pre-dawn calm.  


‘They dumped her body to be eaten by the beasts of Lucis, but…I couldn’t…-‘Dave continued, wiping at his eyes, ‘I wrapped her body and carried it here. Buried her here, she loved this view…said there was nothing like this in Gralea, but that this place was nothing compared to the snows of Niflheim.’  


Cor’s mind flew back to the bitter ice of his memories; the heart stopping cold, the sound of gunfire and the screams of a babe pressed to his chest, sword shaking in his other arm as he wrestled himself over mountain paths, desperate to reach the station, desperate to make it home.  


Snapping himself out of his own thoughts Cor looked at Dave before looking back out as the day slowly began.  


‘Niflheim is a land of white and cold, the sky is bright even in the darkness; stars like white fire sit in a deep blue sky. It holds a silence that is almost loud. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever known. When the snows come they are relentless and merciless, but in its calm, it is beautiful.’  


‘You’ve been there?’ Dave whispered.  


Cor nodded.  


‘A long time ago when I was younger than you at the start of your tale.’  


Dave shook his head in disbelief.  


‘What a life you must have led.’  


Cor stood up with a grunt.  


‘One I would not wish on anyone. We should get moving.’  


Dave looked about him before nodding, taking Cor’s jacket from his shoulders and pulling on his now dry top and jacket. Cor shook on his returned jacket before making his way off the Haven, together heading towards Cauthess Rest Stop.  


‘Will you ever tell me those tales?’ Dave asked, still slightly wobbly on his feet. ‘Do I even want to know, why you were in Niflheim?’  


Cor continued walking with long determined strides, a frown creasing his forehead. Dave sighed, expecting the non-answer and just contented himself to sobering up, looking forward to sleeping on a bed, Gabe within scritching distance.  


Cor on the other hand surprised himself by actually considering the question. He’d never wanted to tell anyone about his life, the things he’d seen, felt and experienced. All those around him were always more focused on Tales of the Immortal, than any actual concern.  


But maybe he hadn’t allowed himself to open up enough?  


Pondering the strange new line of thought, another Man’s scent soaked into his jacket they made their way slowly towards Cauthess.  


Before they reached it however, Cor’s phone started ringing.  


Dave watched as Cor’s demeanour shifted. A fear sweeping across his features before being replaced by the anger he’d glimpsed before. Cor didn’t say anything as his fingers gripped his phone hard enough to break. The call ended abruptly with a snapped, ‘at the diner’.  


Call ended they made their way back on the road, Dave having to speed up to catch Cor as he stopped his anger out on the road, his hand twitching the way Dave had seen before, when Cor was wishing his katana was in his hand.  


Someone had royally fucked up.  


‘Everything okay?’ Dave asked carefully, his head thudding in reply to the Sun’s crescendo past the horizon.  


‘I need to get to Taelpar.’  


Dave watched as Cor strode past him before jogging to catch up, resolutely turned to Cauthess.  


‘Let me get Gabe, and we can be on our way.’  


  


…  


‘Thank you.’  


‘Don’t mention it.’  


They headed out without further mention of the call or what transpired on the Haven. Both men on their way to Taelpar. Dave to get back to Meldacio and Cor because he had a Shield in training to kick the crap out of.  



	9. Chapter 9

More months passed as the days got shorter and the Hunters got busier. Dave and Caleb were together more often than not, Dave teaching Caleb what he could of hunting, while Caleb taught Dave how to correctly apply first aid much to the kid’s amusement.  


‘Right, wound’s bleeding what’d you do?’ Caleb asked from where they sat in Medacio, on the raised porch outside his house, Calebs sitting cross legged, his hair a striking shade of red this time. Dave shook his head grinning.  


‘Now kid, I know yer baiting me and it’s wrong to sass yer elders.’  


‘Who’s sassin’? These are important lessons, old man!’ he chuckled, arranging the items in the first aid box.  


‘Sugar.’ Dave answered, with a put upon sigh.  


Caleb downright cackled, his laughter drawing smiles from the Hunters around them.  


‘Alright ye little sod, go on what’d you put on it to stop the bleeding huh?’  


‘Jeez, a damn plaster, bandage or wrap dependant on size. Not that difficult.’ He sniggered, sitting up and showing off each piece.  


Dave shook his head with a smile, patting Gabe on his head where he dozed by his side.  


‘No one teach you this stuff?’ Caleb asked, stretching his legs out after closing the box.  


‘I was taught a long time ago, kid. Should’av sharpened my skills before now, so thanks for your help.’  


Caleb’s eyes went wide with surprise before he adjusted his cap over his head, embarrassment clear in his movements even as he grinned.  


‘Heh, damn no problem old man.’ He smiled.  


Dave just cuffed him over his head causing him to wark like his favourite birds in indignation over ‘violence towards his cap!’ setting them laughing all over again.  


‘Hey, Caleb we’re shipping out!’ Clara shouted from her truck, the bed already filled with a handful of Hunters Dave recognised.  


‘Comin’!’ he shouted, jumping up.  


‘You headin’ out?’ Dave asked, standing up himself.  


‘Yeah, we’re watching the Niffs, word is they’ve been sniffing around Leide again.’  


Dave frowned, looking again at the group, assessing them.  


‘Stay safe kid, yeah?’ Dave whispered causing Caleb to tug on his cap again before smiling.  


‘Always am, don’t you go getting any sugar in any papercuts.’ He chuckled as he ran towards the truck, Dave’s _yeah, yeah brat_ following.  


Dave sat back down as the truck went away an uneasy feeling in his gut. He held onto his tags around his neck.  


‘Stay safe.’  


He didn’t know how it’d happened but he was quite attached the kid, the idea of him anywhere near the Empire made him uneasy…  


_As does him being alone with the Hunte-_   


‘Dave?’  


Dave looked up at the newcomer holding a letter, pulling himself swiftly out of his thoughts.  


‘What’s up Michaela?’ he asked standing up.  


‘Letter arrived; new tag. But erm…well I was told to leave it to you.’ She passed the letter on before hurrying away to Dave’s surprise. He looked at Gabe who was looking at the letter with confusion, before opening the missive himself.  


Eyes scanning quickly multiple times, Dave crumpled the letter with a sigh.  


_Well…Shit._   


Dave grabbed his pack and told Gabe to ‘stay’. He’ll not have Gabe deal with where he has to go. Walking through Meldacio to his truck, he was stopped by a voice.  


‘Your attachment to the boy will bring you ruin, Son. I suggest you retreat now. Spare you both.’  


Dave looked up to where his Mother sat in her wicker chair on her porch, frowning at her words.  


‘Caleb? He’s a good kid; getting stronger every day.’ He reasoned, ‘He’ll be an excellent Hunter.’  


Dave’s Mother just looked at him in silence, but he could sense the disappointment so strongly it made him look away.  


‘He’s a kid, Ma. Leave him be.’  


Dave walked away before she could reply, jumping in the truck and driving South. His mind was wrestling with itself, his gut and his heart twisting over each other as he headed to a place he was told since he was young to never enter.  


Malmalam Thicket. The forbidden forest and home of his Auntie: The Witch of the Woods.  


Dave’s courage lasted until the first sign. The first warning that ‘Hunters were not allowed’ any further into the woods. He stood there, his mind torn between going in and finding the tags of some poor soul that had wandered in where he shouldn’t have and bringing peace to their loved ones or following by their time-honoured traditions and sacred laws. Every moment of indecision made him hate himself even more.  


Every moment he thought he’d found the courage to step forward, he’d step away, hesitant, the trees around him seemingly bowing over him with threat. He shouldn’t be here, he was a damn idiot for even trying…  


‘Hey, Dave. Heard you were having trouble?’  


The voice of the young man who had saved his life snapped him out of his reverie and Dave felt his gut twist in guilt at the initial relief he had felt when the Prince and his retinue gave no qualms to striding up the hill like he owned the place. Well, he probably did…being Prince of Lucis n’all.  


Dave found himself explaining the situation to the bored looking Monarch, who happily nodded and simply said, ‘got it’ before strolling up the path, paying no heed to the sign that had acted as a brick wall for Dave. The Prince didn’t care. No signs could deter him from his path. If he chose to go somewhere than he would go and that was it.  


It was a terrifying thought and a humbling one. Dave realised he was being shown up by a kid less than half his damn age.  


Dave wandered back down to the bridge in a daze. That sick feeling rising through his gut and into his head till it felt detached from his shoulders. He stared for the longest time at the Prince’s car, edged with mud and dirt yet still sat with a quiet menace, as though at any instant it could ignite its own engine go roaring into the night. An undeniable force and symbol of power that left Dave staring after in the rearview mirror even as he drove his battered truck up the path onto the main road.  


_Indomitable._   


Could he have the same strength? Was it possible for this Old Man as Caleb called him to wield that sort of power? Not only was it like he was being mocked by a young boy but now he was being revealed in his cowardice by a damn car…  


As Dave headed back towards Meldacio he felt a similar sick twist in his gut that he’d felt all those years ago; when he’d followed the rules and lost everything. It was obvious that he’d done the same again. The path was so clear in hindsight. He should never have allowed an inanimate sign deter him from his duty. Nothing was gained from what he did. Only guilt.  


He was actually _glad_ that he hadn’t had to make the choice and he hated himself for it.  


He felt like nothing better than a bug. But even the smallest insect had a purpose nestled within its chitinous form, unlike him. He was less than that and Dave couldn’t help but feel that darkness creep up his neck as he drove, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter.  


What purpose did he have, that kids had to do that which he lacked the courage to finish?  


He didn’t save the one he loved, he’d lived in the constant shadow of his Mother so even the Hunters around him regarded him with a mild indifference.  


A young kid had to teach him basic first aid for Ramuh’s fucking sake.  


Dave pulled the truck of the road, breathing heavily. His thoughts were in overdrive and the one who would usually pull him out of it was probably asleep in Meldacio, curled up under his chair, waiting for him to come back. The tide would pass, he knew it would, he just needed to wait it out but as he gasped in the too hot truck, he felt himself shivering as he forced himself to count the dirt on his windscreen.  


By the time his heart felt less like it was trying to punch its way through his throat, the sun was setting once more, the days getting shorter and shorter as the months passed. Not wanting to be at the edge of the road caught by an Iron Giant, Dave got the truck moving, heading towards Old Lestallum for the night. The memory of Cor saving him from picking an already lost fight with an Iron Giant forced a surprised chuckle out of his chest, even as his body burned with the embarrassment of being flung into a crater.  


Never the less, it helped get his head straight enough to book a room for the night, comforted by the lights of the old town he used to frequent.  


It was when he was in the shower at the motel, his head underneath the spray and the dirt and sweat of the day washing away across his many tattoos across his scarred back and chest; that all his thoughts started to coalesce. His fingers traced the multitude of scars hidden beneath his tattoos as he thought of the debt he’d now owe to the Prince and his friends. Maybe there wasn’t any way to repay his debt, maybe he was stuck helping the Prince out for the rest of his life after everything the boy had done for him.  


Dave didn’t find the concept unappealing. The boy was a born leader, even if he was chronically shy, it seemed to be in his blood the way he stepped forward and did what was needed. Easily flustered by questions but fearless when he’d chosen his path.  


_Because that’s what a leader was wasn’t it?_ Dave considered as he scrubbed at his face, _it was doing what was right, and stepping forward when everything and everyone else was telling you what you are supposed to do._  


His Mother’s words about Caleb came back at that. What could she have been talking about? She was damn cryptic when she wanted to be, _shrewed old bat._ End of the day, Caleb was a good kid, tones of talent and even more potential. Quick with a pistol, unerring aim and a skilled medic. Just cause he was eccentric now and then didn’t mean he was dangerous.  


Kid was just different. Nout wrong with that…right?  


Shaking his head, Dave lifted his head into the spray, allowing it to wash out the worst of his thoughts.  


Begrudgingly, he had to accept she had been right when she denied him his position. He wasn’t a born leader like the Prince, or even a made one like…  


Dave sighed as he thought about his new companion whom he’d come across a few times after his breakdown at the Haven. They had chatted amicably and Dave had even caught a smile or two from the stone faced bastard as they had discussed the Empire’s movements and the progression of the resistance.  


Dave couldn’t help but chuckle as turned off the shower, climbing out and towelling himself off. Yeah, they had certainly became something like friends, with Cor even slapping his shoulder a few times in farewell. The touches were…comforting; in a way Dave hadn’t felt in a very long time. It made him frown in confusion.  


_The man’s eyes could be so blue…_   


He hadn’t seen him in a while, knowing he was busy tracking down a tomb that was supposedly as far out as Cartanica in Niflheim. Whether he’d actually left Lucis he didn’t know. Dave doubted it though, it seemed more feasible the man had contacts somewhere.  


Dave collapsed onto the bed with a sigh, missing the easy comraderie he had built, but now he allowed himself to think about it he’d built quite the group out of nowhere.  


The Prince and his retinue, Caleb…Cor.  


Seems he had his own allies. He found himself comforted, surprisingly, by the very simple fact that they weren’t Hunters. They were just on the edge.  


His mind drifted as he fell into sleep, hoping the Prince was safe and that they didn’t run into trouble, his gut churned once more at the thought that it should be him in that forbidden thicket, chasing down the tags that were his duty to find.  


Dave shook his head, punching his pillow and trying to get comfortable. No he’d not dwell anymore on what had happened, instead he should be thinking about what was next. There was a decision to be made…  


‘Marnie, you’d kick my ass if you knew what was going on…’ he muttered, turning again the blanket twisting in his legs.  


Recently he had allowed himself to think of his precious Marnie, slowly healing from the pain of the past and cherishing her memory once again; of her laugh and her smiles, her shockingly blonde hair…  


Thinking about it made him frown. He knew she was Gralean, she’d told him straight out when they were talking about their homes, but to think she had been a spy…  


He’d been broken at the thought that she’d used him to spy on Lucis, but despite that she hadn’t deserved to die like that.  


He sighed, turning over in the bed. Her laugh echoed in his head when they had sat at Fallaughns Haven, watching the sun go down. His sleepy mind followed the laugh through his memories until he snapped awake.  


The image had shifted, slightly but startingly to another memory. It wasn’t her laugh anymore, it was Caleb’s…  


_Why did he have her laugh?_   


He shook his head. No. He was tired and his mind was distorting things, he had almost been asleep and its moments like that when the mind loved to play tricks the most.  


Anyways Caleb wasn’t even Gralean…  


_Constantly changing hair colour…skill in firearms…_   


Dave shook his head, slamming it back into his pillow in frustration. No Caleb wasn’t from there and even if he was that didn’t make him a damn spy it’s not like every damn person with blonde hair and a skill in firearms was…  


His mind latched onto the face of the smallest member of the Prince’s group, standing out with his shocking blonde hair…  


_Fuck._   


Dave pulled himself out of bed. This was getting him nowhere. He was chasing Leiden hares down holes that led to nowhere.  


His heart was in turmoil, his mind more so and he suddenly knew he wouldn’t rest tonight. Getting dressed he headed out to the Kenny’s across the road, ordering some fries and two beers and taking a seat at the furthest booth. The smell of grease and fish was comforting, a balm for his thoughts as the heat of the grill kept away the worst of the Night’s chill. He nodded to the attendant who passed over his order before opening the first beer and draining it before opening the other and taking a swig.  


_Don’t you think you should calm that habit of yours, Old man?_   


Caleb’s voice rang in his head again as he picked at his plate of fries, no appetite for them even though he ordered them out of habit. Caleb had confronted him about him drinking which had led to him opening up about Marnie, something Dave felt good to finally do. He could finally talk about her and about the good times he spent with her. At the time he’d laughed with Caleb about how she’d scolded him aswell. Caleb had opened up in turn, saying he’d lost his Mom when he was young, his Dad nowhere to be found, apparently she just…didn’t come home one day. Dave had simply patted Caleb’s shoulder in response.  


_‘You got family here now. We take care of our own.’_   


Caleb had nodded, pulling his cap down to hide his tears before he got jumped on by Gabe who refused for his new best friend to be upset. They had laughed together in the sun. It had been a damn good day and it got Dave to thinking, what would it have been like if he’d settled down? If they had actually gotten married, would they have had a kid by now? Marnie was such a free spirit, Dave found it hard to imagine her as the domestic type, though it would have been nice…to find out.  


Sighing Dave reached for a fry, this introspective was getting him nowhere.  


He had a decision to make.  


If Caleb was Gralean, or at least Niffian than Dave needed to confront him. He doubted Caleb was a spy but the last thing he wanted was a repeat of what happened with Marnie, he wouldn’t want to find out from another source.  


Also about the boy Prompto, if he was from there aswell and he was close to the Prince…  


_Fuck…_   


Finishing his other beer, Dave waved for another.  


He’d wait to find that the Prince was safe and sound, return the tag if found and leave a message to meet Cor. He had a sharper mind than him and far more experience in the matter.  


By that time Caleb could be back from Leide and with Cor with him, they could find out about both the boys and act if needed.  


_He just needed to wait for the Prince to come back…_   


Dave sighed, finishing his fries and his last drink before heading back to the motel, buzzed enough to shut off his head enough for him to sleep.  



	10. Chapter 10

The Prince returned to Meldacio as he’d promised with the tags and ‘words of wisdom’ from his estranged Aunt.  


_‘There is more than One True Path, you must learn to trust yourself.’_  


Dave looked over at where his Mother sat, talking to the Prince about something that required a lot of waving from the young blond haired companion and a gruff laugh from the big one. Gabe leaned against his leg, whining.  


‘Yeah boy, I know. I know…’  


His heart had latched onto his Aunt’s words and the shame of having not found those tags himself had set a fire in him he hadn’t felt for a long time. Let his Mother keep the rule of the Hunters. He had much more to work on, without her constant interference. He had been right before about needing to make a decision and now he had the words he needed he wasn’t going to waste time on the _umm’s_ and _ahh’s_ of the situation.  


Whether he liked it or not, people depended on him and he had to finally step up. But first he had some tags to deliver. Word was Caleb’s group should be returning in a couple of days and Cor had been spotted around Duscae. So deliver the tags, see if he can meet Cor and reunite with Caleb.  


Sounded like a plan.  


Dave stood as he watched that sleek car drive away, her engine roaring through the cave.  


‘Let’s go boy.’  


  


  


It was late in the day and the sun was setting when Dave left the apartment in Lestallum, Gabe at his heels. It was never an easy thing to do, to hand tags over to a worried family who were waiting for their loved one to return home for them to find out in the worst way that it had been futile to hope. But it was his responsibility and it was what he needed to do.  


He was tempted to get a drink but decided against it.  


He’d drowned his sorrows enough in his lifetime, maybe it was time he got out of his head and did some good for once. His hand was itching for his machete.  


‘Whadya say boy, shall we go make the world a little safer?’  


Gabe barked before rushing down the Lestallum streets, heading to a vendor that not only gave Dave information as a tipster but was rather fond of giving Gabe scraps of kebab.  


Needless to say, the old man was Gabe’s favourite.  


They sat at the table just past the market, Gabe happily under his chair scarfing down kebab scraps while the tipster flicked through the hunt posters before shaking his head.  


‘Sorry kid, the last night raid we had was taken this mornin’. A tall fella, big like you. Eyes as sharp as a blade.’  


_Cor’s in town..._  


Dave pushed down then downright _infantile_ glee that had risen at the thought of seeing his friend again so soon and focused instead on what the tipster was going on about.  


‘…odd fellow that he’d go after something so large on his own.’ He was saying, tucking hunt posters back into his apron.  


‘What was the hunt?’  


‘Psychomancer, hanging around by Lingagh Haven causing problems for folks on the road.’  


Dave didn’t doubt Cor’s skills, he’d seen them first hand enough times, but that funny feeling in his gut was pricking again.  


It was a faux par to push in on another’s bounty, but Dave didn’t care for rules right now. Cor wasn’t a Hunter so…eff it right?  


He was following his gut and the feeling in his heart as he got in his truck told him even if he wasn’t right, he at least could live with himself if he was wrong. Either way, he might meet Cor sooner rather than later and that was worth it.  


He found himself squinting in the encroaching darkness, looking around for any signs of the Marshall and his damn flashlight. They reached the area by Lingagh Haven and parked the truck, Gabe jumping out and rather than wander the area as he usually did, he immediately stood to alert, ears up, sniffing the air.  


‘You got him, boy?’ Dave asked, standing by Gabe and looking out into the darkness that loomed from beyond the streetlights. Gabe didn’t answer, he stayed still, sniffing and listening. Dave looked around with increasing unease, even more so as one of the lights above them began to flicker.  


Gabe growled.  


‘Yeah, this isn’t good, come on. To the Haven.’  


Gabe didn’t move to comply even as Dave stepped back, drawing his new blade from the holster at his thigh.  


‘Gabe…’  


Ears back, Gabe crouched, a growl ripping out of him as his heckles raised in a clear threat. The lights above them flickered violently and shattered, Dave crouching to avoid the sparks even as Gabe pounced at the darkness.  


Expect it wasn’t just darkness.  


The lights of the Psychomancer’s curses lit a sickly green around its head, it skeletal form exposed from its tattered rags that stank of rot and death. Gabe grabbed hard into the creatures arm, biting down even as the Psychomancer flailed.  


‘Gabe, back!’ Dave screamed, racing forwards to slice down on the same arm.  


Green flame hit Dave hard, slamming him back even as it swung its arm, dislodging Gabe who whined as he landed on the asphalt at speed.  


‘Gabe!’ Dave shouted, coughing at the stench of the flames he got hit by before getting back up, dodging another fireball and swinging at the creature larger than him. His machete hit with a clang, doing damage since it was now light bound but not enough…  


_Not enough._  


The demon swung again, Dave dodging to the side attacking at every opportunity as sweat poured from him from the exertion, coughing as the miasma thickened around them. Gabe was limping on the edge of the battle, barking loudly to distract, unable to join in.  


‘Gabe, dammit, get in the truck.’ He shouted even as he dodged another swipe, rolling behind the damn thing and plunging the blade through the creature’s back causing it to swing angrily, dislodging the blade from Dave’s sweaty grip.  


‘Yeah you felt that one you rank bastard!’ he shouted pulling out a gun Caleb had forced him to carry and unloading the barrel into the damn thing’s hooded face. It recoiled, the shots doing damage as Dave stepped forward determined to take the damn thing down-  


It teleported. Slamming into him in the time it took Dave to blink and suddenly Dave was falling having been too close to the road barrier. His arms flailed as he somersaulted, hand reaching out in desperation for anything to stop him falling down the small drop, it finding the edge of the road at the last moment, stopping his fall as he felt his shoulder wrench, a hair’s breadth from dislocation.  


Since Dave was no longer a threat, the psychomancer turned and Dave watched in horror even as he scrambled back up onto the road, the demon slam in that unnatural way towards Gabe who was barking up a storm, his injured leg stopping him from escaping.  


‘No, No no no you Son of a Bitch!’ Dave screamed, climbing over the barrier, ‘Get away from my fucking dog!’  


Dave grabbed his blade from the ground raising it to throw, but he would be too late…he would be too late.  


Light flooded the area, as a figure landed between the demon and Gabe, blade slicing and shattering bone as it landed almost cleaving the creature in two. Dave could have cried in relief as the Psychomancer pulled away to reveal Cor, blade raised, battle ready and ferocious.  


‘Get Gabe to the Haven. I’ve got this piece of shit.’ Cor growled, before heading back towards the demon before it could fully recover.  


‘You can’t fight this thing alon-!’Dave started.  


‘Go!’  


Cor’s command set Dave moving, picking up Gabe who was whining.  


‘Shush boy, come on I got ya, you did good, you did good.’ He found himself muttering through the sudden lump in his throat.  


_I almost lost you…_  


Racing up to the Haven with the sounds of the continued battle echoing across the hills, Dave made it to the glowing runes, setting Gabe carefully down before getting out his kit and carefully wrapping Gabe’s leg.  


_Broken leg, but nothing that can’t be healed, he’s fine, he’s fine, he’s fine._  


A shattering crash echoed up and Dave looked down to the road to see Cor getting up from a clearly dented lamppost, the strange light he must have shot into the sky starting to go dim.  


‘Shit. Boy I gotta help him, okay? You stay yeah? I’ll be right back.’  


Gabe only licked Dave’s hand in response and Dave’s heart split in two even as he stood.  


‘Ima kill this sonovabitch.’  


Pulling out his blade, Dave ran back down the hill.  


He wasn’t losing anyone tonight.  


Cor swung his blade, too slow to dodge the counterattack due to his injury but Dave was there, blade up deflecting the blow before clenching his fist and punching the bastard right in his hooded head.  


‘Try to kill my fucking dog eh?!’ he roared.  


Cor blinked in shock as Dave swung his machete again and again, taking advantage of the dents Cor had already made, kicking out sharply when the demon tried to swing back.  


Cor got back what breath he could in the scant time Dave gave him, summoning his strength into his blade once more while Dave kept the creature distracted. Dave was clearly seasoned, though his method was inefficient, not to mention it was bad form to let your emotions get the better of you in battl-  


‘Suck it asshole!’ Dave screamed, another punch sending the demon reeling.  


Cor would have laughed had the situation not been so dire, his eyes saw a crack in the demon’s ribcage as Dave kicked it once more.  


‘Dave pull back!’ he shouted, his compatriot quick to comply as Cor stepped forward ripping the sword from his sheath with a roar, the entire ribcage shattering with its force exposing its black, miasma filled core.  


Cor pulled back even as Dave reached his side and together they slammed their blades into the demon’s rotted heart, its screech bouncing off the hills as it pulled back and dissipated back from whence it came, the air once again turning fresh as the creature’s stink of death went with it.  


Cor winced, gripping his side even as Dave went over to where it dissipated, spitting with vigour at the space it once occupied.  


‘Good riddance.’  


‘Good work-unnph.’ Cor fell to his knee, the injury a touch worse than he’d expected.  


‘Shit, hey, easy come on. That damn thing did a number on you.’ Dave said suddenly holding onto Cor, holding his arm over his shoulder to support him to stand.  


‘I think, that was more the lamppost.’  


Dave blinked even as they came up to the break in the barrier, heading through it up the hill.  


‘Did Marshall Cor Leonis just make a joke or did that psychomancer hit me harder than I thought?’  


Cor grunted even as he fought away a chuckle.  


‘You heard nothing.’  


‘Heh, no chance. That’s locked in the memory bank forever now.’  


They stumbled up in silence for a bit as the haven came into view.  


‘Gabe?’ Cor asked as they got closer.  


‘Is fine. Busted leg but he lives, thanks to you.’  


‘Protruding bone?’  


Dave shook his head. ‘Clean break.’  


Cor nodded, unexpected relief running through him.  


‘Good. What the hell wer-umpgh.’ Cor gritted his teeth as another wave of pain rippled through him.  


‘Questions later, Marshall. Come on, nearly there.’  


Cor nodded tightly as they climbed the rock, Gabe whimpering at their return.  


‘Easy boy, easy I told you I’d come back.’ Dave soothed, carefully letting Cor down by Gabe who shuffled closer until he could rest his head on Cor’s leg. Cor raised his hand hesitantly, watching Gabe for sudden movements before gently petting him. Gabe shuffled to get more comfortable and Cor sighed, allowing himself to run his hand across Gabe’s head and behind his ears. Carefully with Dave supporting his back, Cor summoned a potion behind him to not startle the settled mutt. Cor carefully moved the potion over Gabe before crushing it with a pained grunt, activating the magic within it. Gabe’s ears jumped up at the sound and shuddered, licking at his bandage whining again. Cor moved to remove it, Gabe waiting till it was gone before shaking himself head to toe, turning in a circle before settling once more. A quiet bark escaping before he curled up. Dave felt warmth spread through his chest at the sight.  


‘You healed Gabe…’ he whispered.  


‘The Dog fought well. He deserved it.’ Cor muttered, resuming his petting of the now relaxed and fully healed old dog.  


Dave was about to say something else, his heart fit for bursting, the adrenaline from the fight finally falling out of him as relief spread through his aching bones, but Cor flinched again as his hand overstretched.  


‘Come on,’ Dave said instead, pushing aside any flutters in his chest for more immediate issues, ‘let’s sort out those ribs, we need to get these off.’  


‘I can just pot-um-potion.’ Cor tried to reason, stammering suddenly, his hand gripping his jacket.  


Dave shook his head.  


‘We gotta make sure nothing’s bent the wrong way, you taught me that. Now come on.’  


Cor winced, allowing Dave to carefully take off his jacket before supporting his back and helping him remove his long tank top, then his other top, then wrestle off his other tank, then his undershirt-  


‘How many damn layers do you wear man? Heh, feel like a kid at Shivasmas with a present from a relative who hated me.’  


‘What part of...’ he hissed through his teeth, ‘that should I focus on? The hated relative or me being the present?’  


Dave felt heat rush through his cheeks as he suddenly became very aware of both what he’d insinuated and the bare hot skin beneath his palm.  


Dave coughed.  


‘Anyway, let’s have a look erm…let’s…’ he hung his head in despair, ‘Ribs, dead or alive?’  


‘Why don’t you have a look?’ Cor challenged, in a deep tone Dave hadn’t heard from him before.  


Dave swallowed, what was…was that…?  


Refusing to think too deeply into it Dave reached across Cor’s chest, focusing on his work rather than meet the gaze he could feel burn into him as he continued touching and carefully assessing each rib; a bruise was already blossoming across the one side however all ribs seemed accounted for and mercifully not out of place. If there were fractures, than they were hairline. Dave sighed, grateful for the mercies bestowed on them. His fingers found a scar just beneath Cor’s ribcage and in the dimness of the Haven, Dave saw the absolute mess that was Cor’s chest and stomach.  


_The man looks like he was put through a blender…_  


Snapping out of his exploration with a flush of embarrassment, Dave wrestled his mind back to the matter in hand and ignored the pounding of his heart and the horrid scenarios his mind conjured up that could have led to such a multitude of injuries.  


_Especially when they have healing flasks, what the hell?_  


‘You’re good to g-.’ Dave’s words faltered when he looked up. Cor was staring right at him, their faces close _too close._ The familiar scent of the man filled the air as he felt his breath on his face.  


‘P-potion,’ Dave stuttered, not pulling away. He knew he should, he knew. This was unknown territory for him as he sat crouched by this man who had first been a legend he had chased and had now become, his friend, his support…  


A man whose eyes always froze his thoughts and turned him into more of a fool than before, a man who was tilting his face up towards him.  


_Was this really…_  


Cor blinked, pulling away with a heavy exhale and before Dave could think to react, summoning another potion and crushing it, the glow of the crystal’s magic healing up the worst of the damage, the bruising present but much more faded. _Astrals what the hell?_  


‘I’ll still need to brace this but that should have dealt with the worse of it…’ Cor muttered, pointedly not looking at Dave, who was still supporting him, his hands steady against Cor’s back.  


This had been the first time in years anyone had seen him bare and Cor felt the prickling of unease spread through him. _He_ didn’t even look at his scars anymore; too many to count and oh so many he didn’t even remember getting. He wore his layers as a protection, as a guard against what memories he did have. Every movement pulled against something. So to see a friend’s _(friend’s?_ ) face crumple at the sight made him uncomfortable.  


Startling as Dave shifted, Cor watched as he pulled out a bandage wrap from a pouch at his hip.  


‘Come on, arm up Marshall.’ Dave said softly before moving to brace Cor’s chest with the wrap.  


Cor shivered in the night, not from the cold but from the unfamiliar comfort of another’s hands on him. Hands that didn’t mean him harm. A feeling he hadn’t had for so long.  


‘That should do for now, Co-umph.’  


Cor fell, exhausted from his travels and the battle, slumping into Dave’s grip even as the man shifted to take his weight. Sitting down where he was crouched, Dave pulled Cor back into his chest.  


‘You good?’ Dave asked but only got a quiet snore in answer as the man was dragged into sleep against his will. He pulled Cor close as the man’s breathing fell swiftly into the pattern of sleep.  


‘Yeah.’ Dave muttered in answer to his own question, surprising himself with how sure he was, ‘Yeah, I’m good.’  


He held Cor close to him till the sun rose and once Cor awoke, they headed off the Haven together, Gabe trotting between them happily.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you XHidaka for this amazing artwork to go along with this chapter! ^.^!! Look at these two being all dramatic with each other and Gabe being just the cutest best boi!!


	11. Chapter 11

‘So what were you doing out at that time of the night?’ Cor asked as they drove their way back to Lestallum.  


Dave felt embarrassment creep up his neck as he followed the road round the canyon. _I was looking for you…_  


‘I heard about the posting, felt uneasy about it’ he said instead, ‘so I decided to follow my gut and head out.’  


‘It nearly got you killed.’  


‘Normally people say thanks.’ Dave laughed. Cor surprised him by chuckling back, scratching Gabe behind his ears, while trying to stop him randomly licking him.  


‘Well thanks. I’ll have to make it up to you one day.’  


‘Heh, just watch my back and I’ll watch yours.’ Dave said. ‘That’ll be enough.’  


Dave drove the truck down around the calm bend, eyes out for sneaky cars from the north.  


‘Actually I had something I wanted to ask you.’ He started, suddenly. Nervousness clawing at his gut, almost wishing that he wouldn’t interrupt the happy camaraderie they were currently enjoying.  


‘Hmm?’ Cor replied absently.  


‘The kid, with the Prince, blond lad. He- um…is he Niffian?’  


Cor froze. He clearly tried to keep it unnoticed as the truck when through the tunnel but it was obvious in how he held himself.  


‘If he is?’  


Cor’s tone was dangerous, an edge as sharp as his blade slicing into Dave’s heart as he made his way into the sunlight of Lestallum proper.  


‘If you know, then that’s fine by me. Being close to the Prince, I got worried.’  


‘He’s Lucian.’ Cor replied.  


‘Just checkin…you alright?’  


Cor was silent as they parked before getting out without another word. Dave sighed following Cor into the busy streets, unsure if it was something he said or the fluttering Imperial flags that suddenly made him so quiet, his usual veneer of stone coating his face once more.  


_There’s something personal there…but the kid is straight by Cor so that’s two things struck off the list. Now to meet Caleb._   


They made it to the tipster and he gladly passed over the reward.  


‘Any new news?’ Dave asked, more out of habit than anything, knowing little could have happened in under 12 hours.  


Seems he was wrong.  


‘Hunters have been back and forth over the channels all damn morning, apparently there was a rat amongst the group who got outed by a group of them Imperial folk they were trackin’. Full uproar. They’re sentencing him up at HQ today.’  


Dave froze. Cor asked some more questions but Dave didn’t hear it over the rushing in his ears.  


_No.Nonononono no not again. Not aga-_   


‘DAVE!’ Cor suddenly slapping the back of his head snapped him back, all his air rushing out of him as he stood up, knees cracking the plastic table as he stumbled away, Gabe following with a bark even as he raced back towards the truck.  


Cor’s shouts were lost in the clamour in his head.  


He knew it, he blasted knew it, but hadn’t acted fast enough, he hadn’t gone after him. He couldn’t get those damn tags, he couldn’t ask Caleb about whether he, whether-  


Chasing after Cor while foolish enough to believe he had time. Since when had the world ever worked on his schedule?!  


He fumbled with his keys, the metal hitting the cobblestone below him. Punching the door in frustration he bent to pick them up, but Cor beat him to it, wrestling them out of his hands before he could find the right one.  


‘Give them back! I don’t have time!’ he shouted, breathing frantic.  


Cor looked at him, breathing steadily even as Dave held out a shaking hand. Gabe barked and Cor jumped, whatever thoughts in his head discarded as he moved to action.  


‘Get in the passenger seat,’ he ordered, ‘you’re not fit to drive.’  


He was about to argue but it would waste even more damn time so Dave ran over to the door wrenching it open as Cor disengaged the locks and jumped behind the wheel after Gabe.  


‘Location?’ he asked, igniting the engine.  


‘Meldacio. Fast.’  


The truck roared out of the tunnel before screeching round the bend, taking a wing mirror from another car coming round from the other way, a blaring of horns in their wake.  


‘You know the spy?’ Cor asked as they sped down the road, Dave gripping the headboard desperately trying to get his breathing under control, his mind spiralling, seeing Marnie’s blood over his hands as it bounced from her to Caleb, from her to Caleb.  


‘Dave! Focus!’  


Cor’s command shook him and Dave looked at Cor’s stern face, Gabe taking the lapse in judgement and licking a stripe up Dave’s face.  


‘Fuck, Gabe…’  


‘Good boy.’ Cor praised, Gabe barking even as they moved past Pallareth Pass, the cliff falling away onto the grasslands. ‘Now. Information Dave.’  


‘It’s Caleb.’ He gasped in disbelief, mind turning and stomach churning as the truck strained up the mountain, Cor slamming on the horn to move a group of Arba’s on the path.  


‘You knew the boy was a spy?’  


‘I didn’t know…’  


‘But you know now?’  


‘He’s Gralean. But he…I don’t think he’s one. He can’t be a spy. Just cause he’s from there? No. I…I can’t believe it. Why didn’t I see it before? Why?!’  


Cor glanced at Dave in disbelief even as he wrestled the truck round the bend, the three falling to the side as the truck lurched worryingly far onto its right hand wheels before righting itself.  


‘Shit. How the fuck did you know that?!’  


‘He has her fucking eyes!’ Dave shouted even as the truck finally screeched up to the gate. A gate that was closed.  


‘Then he’s…’ Cor started, even as Dave slammed his way out of the truck, running up to the gate and kicking at it, it not budging.  


‘Oi! Hey, someone open up! It’s Dave!’  


There was no answer but the echo of jeering shouts bounced through the rocks. Dave turned back to the truck but was swung round by Cor grabbing his arm tightly.  


‘Let go, Marshall.’ He raged.  


‘What are you planning?’ Cor asked, calm despite the fire burning behind his eyes.  


‘The truck, I can ram it.’  


‘I can do one better,’ Cor said, stepping forward, summoning his blade. ‘Step back!’  


Ripping the blade out, the slice destroyed the lock of the gate, and most of the gate itself.  


Dave breathed out his awe, stepping up before grabbing Cor’s head and crushing his lips against his before pulling back.  


‘I will make this up to you, I swear. Thank you.’  


‘Let’s go get your boy.’ Cor nodded.  


Dave’s heart thundered in his chest as they both ran up Meldacio to the crowd they could see by the far billboard. _His boy…_  


He’d been a fool. A damn fool it had been right there in front of him the entire time.  


He’d also been a fool about the Hunters. There would never be a trail for them, the blood thirsty bastards only cared for the execution.  


‘Damn savages.’ Cor growled, eyes sharper than Dave’s. He looked up as they got closer, his veins turning to ice before burning red hot.  


Caleb was screaming for mercy even as two Hunters held onto him at the top of the billboard, a rope wrapped round his neck as the crowd jeered below.  


Dave slammed into the crowd, not caring who he pushed over, or whose noses he smashed as he wrestled to the front. Gabe jumped up onto the billboard, barking loudly when he realised he couldn’t get any further; Cor ran round the back taking advantage of the commotion, climbing up before anyone could stop him. Dave climbed up with Gabe, pulling out his reloaded gun and pointing it at the three above him.  


‘Yeah, Dave get the Niff!’ someone shouted, thinking he was pointing the gun at Caleb, whose face crumpled at the shout and the realisation of who was stood below him.  


‘Dave, please! I’m not a spy!’ he shouted.  


‘Shut up Niff!’ the one Hunter holding him shouted, punching Caleb hard across the head, the crowd pulling up a roar that was silenced with a gunshot.  


The Hunter touched the side of his cheek, pulling away with blood.  


‘H-hey watch your aim, Dave…’ he tried to joke shakily, the slice of blood across his face dripping down his neck.  


‘Touch him again and I won’t fucking miss.’ Dave growled, readjusting his aim.  


The crowd muttered, finally seeming to catch on the Dave was not here to watch the hanging.  


‘Do it.’  


His Mother’s command brooked no argument and the Hunters pushed the dazed boy over the edge, Dave screaming as Caleb plummeted down, too dazed to protect himself as Dave ran beneath him. Only to suddenly have Caleb crash right into his arms.  


They thudded into the wooden slats, Dave breaking the boy’s fall. Shocked he scrambled up, patting down Caleb as the boy groaned incoherently. Grabbing the rope around his neck, Dave pulled it off, shakily pulling it up to see the end cut cleanly through.  


A gasp went through the crowd and Dave looked up even as he held Caleb close. Cor stood with his blade at the Hunter’s throat, the other knocked out. Gabe was between Caleb and the crowd, growling with his heckles raised in a clear message.  


_He is mine._   


Looking down as Caleb came to, Dave finally saw Caleb without his cap, his blond roots clearly visible through his red. He’d been dying his hair desperately trying to cover up his heritage, believing that exactly what had happened, would happen.  


Well no one was gonna touch him again. That was for damn fuckin sure.  


‘You protect one from Niflheim? Who has killed countless of us for hundreds of years, you would turn your back on Lucis?’ his Mother asked calmly from her seat, the crowd going quiet as she spoke.  


‘This isn’t about where someone is from. You would condemn a boy to death for being born somewhere else?’  


‘The safety of Lucis is my concern, not that of a single life. To protect Lucis is the way of the Hunters and has been since the beginning.’  


Dave paused. Those words echoing in his head once more even as he held Caleb close, the lad shaking, muttering endless apologies into Dave’s jacket.  


_No one true Path…_   


Dave picked Caleb up in his arms, holding him close as he walked back to the hill by the billboard where Cor helped him down, the two Hunters above them shocked to still have their lives.  


‘You got him?’ Cor asked quietly.  


Dave nodded looking at Caleb as he shook in his arms.  


‘Yeah, yeah I got him.’  


The crowd parted, unsure of how to proceed, as Cor and Dave walked past. Gabe growled in warning at anyone he thought got too close.  


‘A Niff cannot be a Hunter. Would you relinquish the Hunters for that boy?’ His Mother asked from within the crowd.  


They watched as Dave stopped, turning to face them, Caleb having finally slipped into unconsciousness. They took a minute step back as Cor stepped forward to stand by their side.  


‘Anyone can be a Hunter,’ Dave replied. ‘Whoever they are and wherever they are from. He bares his tags, like any one of us. He’s bled blood the same colour as ours on Lucian ground so people can sleep safer in their beds at night. You tell me that’s not a Hunter?! Then we need to change what that name even means. A Hunter stands between the darkness and the people, we seek to protect, not to divide.’ He gasped in a breath, his heart pounding as he held his boy close. ‘If you think this kid deserves to be hung as a spectacle because of where he was born than I will gladly walk away from where _I_ was born, in order to show you that it’s not where you come from that matters. But what you do.’  


‘Damn straight!’  


Dave and Cor turned behind them to see a fine black car parked sideways across the road, four very distinct silhouettes walking towards them in the glare of the headlights.  


Noctis strode past Dave, sparing a glance to Caleb and nodding at Dave.  


‘We heard the news. We’ll take it from here.’ Noctis muttered before striding forward, the others standing before them, creating a barrier protecting Dave and the boy.  


Cor bowed, arm across his chest.  


The man before him was not a young Prince to be trained, he was here in the capacity of King and it showed.  


‘I was certain, Madam Auburnbrie,’ Noctis called, moving towards the increasingly uncomfortable group, ‘that my Father had outlawed execution outside of the Insomnian Royal Court.’  


‘The Court is no more, we take care of Hunter business internally.’ She answered calmly. ‘We have done for years.’  


‘And you should know then, that something being tradition does not make it the right thing to do.’ Noctis replied easily. ‘The world is changing, I suggest you change with it or suffer the consequences of a New Age you may find yourself unprepared to face.’  


Noctis stared down the Hunters before him, catching the eyes of many he himself had saved and many more the Marshall had aided and helped train. They all turned away unable to hold his gaze. In that silence, Noctis turned away.  


‘You threaten us?’ Ezma called to his back, refusing to let the matter go.  


Noctis stopped, looking briefly at his advisor who nodded carefully, Noctis nodded back. He turned.  


‘A promise. As for The Royal Court, you can consider it open and as we stand as a part of the Hunter Organisation ourselves you can also consider your business under our final judgement.’  


‘And how would the Uncrowned King judge this matter?’  


‘Your son already did.’ Noctis answered, unaffected by the barb to his lack of Kingship as Insomnia lay still burning, ‘it doesn’t matter where you come from. If you stand against the Night, you are with us; if you stand between a friend and a demon, you are with us. If you take a stand against evil to protect a stranger than you can class yourself with us. You however, have proven today that not all enemies come from overseas. Monsters are bred in all corners of the World. You tried to kill a kid barely out of his teens today. A boy who bears the same tags as you all. Enough blood is spilt by the demons every single night and you hunted him for _sport_.’  


Noctis glowed as his anger rose, blue light shimmering through his hair down to his fingertips as the power of his blood shone true, the weapons of his ancestors crashing out of him with the sound of shattering glass.  


‘And as King of Lucis, I declare to you all on this day, that I and my people will not stand idly by and allow such barbarism. By my word and my bond I shall see any who supports and encourages such acts as enemies of not Lucis but of morality and decency and we shall act justly and swiftly to bring them to justice.’  


Noctis dispelled his weaponry; the crowd shook to their core and their Leader finally silenced.  


He turned, heading back towards the car, his retinue bowing as he passed, Prompto’s fist shaking where he pressed it to his chest.  


‘Cor,’ Noctis said, ‘help Dave get Caleb to the truck. We’re heading to Lestallum.’  


Cor nodded, guiding a shellshocked Dave towards the truck, the retinue heading out in a convoy towards Lestallum as Dave held onto Caleb tightly, tears falling down his face.  


_My boy…_   



	12. Epilogue

It was ten years. Ten years of darkness before the sun rose again. Cor had been wounded in the final battle, his body never quite recovering from the blow. Cor would have been fully lost had Dave and Caleb not drawn him out of his melancholy, his deep rooted despair of having lost yet another King rotted his heart so he couldn’t even stand to see the sun, hiding himself away deep in the mountains.  


Dave and Caleb had uncovered him, slowly dying in a damn cave. Gabe barked in the man’s face until he grumbled at the mutt, Dave and Caleb pulling the man out of his drawn out suicide and staying with him, giving himself something to live for; something to love.  


Caleb had been shaken at the experience of nearly being lynched and chose to not go back to HQ, preferring taking care of the chocobos in Lestallum and aiding Cor in his relief efforts. Dave had told him about Marnie and Caleb had refused to speak to him for a flat month.  


It had taken a long time to heal those wounds.  


But they had managed it, and now they stood together as Father and Son in the daylight of a new world.  


After the passing of his Mother, Dave passed the Hunters Organisation to Insomnia. Their government under Regents Ignis and Gladiolus keeping to their King’s decree given so long ago and if any turned against their new members from other lands, those declaring a necessity to keeping the Hunters ‘pure’, well they were dealt with by the Hunter dubbed ‘Quicksilver’ and they were dealt with swiftly.  


Cor was very proud of the man the babe he had saved all those years ago in the snow had grown up to be.  


Dave stayed by his side, as broken as it was as they navigated the new world around them. They had chosen their path and they would keep to it til they passed, hand in hand, with strength neither of them could have had, were it not for the other.  


If not for the other.  



End file.
